GREEN BOOK
Director : Peter Farrelly
Year : 2019
Genre : Comedy drama
Rating : ****
Despite it's difficult subject matter, 'Green Book' is a supremely likeable comedy drama which boasts fine performances from its stars Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen as well as uncharacteristically refined direction from Peter Farrelly. Set during the racially turbulent days of Jim Crow-era America, the film tells the true story of Tony 'The Lip' Vallelonga, a loud-mouthed nightclub bouncer (Mortensen) who reluctantly takes the job as the chauffeur and personal minder of African-American musician Don Shirley (Ali). Armed with the green book of the title - a pocket sized guide listing the few hotels and restaurants hospitable to black people - the two embark on a dangerous concert tour of the Deep South, where both prejudice and humiliation meet them at every turn.
The chemistry between the two actors is terrific and Mortensen delivers a career best performance as the fast-talking Vallelonga who attempts to teach Ali's reticent jazz-star about the good things in life which include the joys of eating fried chicken without cutlery and the music of Aretha Franklin. But while the hilarious dialogue (co-written by Vallelonga's son Nick) and the interplay between the characters frequently make for a very enjoyable time, what rightly stands out during 'Green Book's duration is the undiluted horror of the pervading racial tension that is at its core which deftly lends every situation no matter how outlandish a historically accurate yet frighteningly contemporary edge. Funny yet frank, 'Green Book' may follow certain narrative tropes but when compared to the artful nature of 'Roma' and the weirdness of 'The Favourite', it is one of the more accessible movies to be released this awards season and for my money, it's one of the very best.
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