Decent, enjoyable but standard prestige film based on a true story

Rating: 7/10 (30 November 2018)

Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali give stellar performances in this true story about a NYC club employee and bodyguard who is hired by a classical pianist from Carnegie Hall to drive him through his performance tour across the South in the early 1960s, during which they develop a solid bond, despite their considerable educational and socioeconomic differences.
I would call this film decent, light entertainment. It definitely offers a glimpse into how impressive Mortensen's range is an actor. The same actor who gave compelling performances in films like "A Dangerous Method" and "Captain Fantastic" is thoroughly riveting to watch here as he disappears into the role of "Tony Lip" Vallelonga and Ali is impressive as Don Shirley, a Jamaican-American musician who became well-known in his era.
This film doesn't break too much ground, in all honesty. It's good diverting cinema but as a film released during Oscar season, it's fairly run-of-the-mill with no real surprises. But I do give Peter Farrelly a lot of credit for stepping out of his usual repertoire and giving us a different genre to look at within his filmography. Recommended.