Green Storybook

Rating: 8/10 (15 February 2019)

'Green Book' is charming, funny and heart warming. Oh, and "based" on a true story. "Inspired" may have been an even better choice. So if your looking for historical accuracy, you may want to pass. However, taken for what it is, a road trip movie about two diametrically opposed characters directed by Peter Farrelly, it's a fun and thoughful story. It's flawed only by its inability to decide if it is about the characters or investigating a bigger idea about race then and now. There is no question that this subject, especially in these times, deserves better and more serious consideration but does every movie about race in America have to be charged with that duty? (This may be the fault of sloppy marketing that leaned into the "based on a true story" trailer plug. ) Having said that, there is a lot to unpack here and the movie gets bogged down in too many running themes. (Thus a 7 over an 8 rating) Mortensen and Ali have a nice chemistry. It'd be cool if they did something else together. To coin another movie, "This might be the making of a beautiful friendship.".