Well-Made and Effective, if Overly Safe

Rating: 8/10 (23 March 2019)

A refined, classically trained black pianist recruits a blunt, tough-guy NYC Italian to serve double duty as both chauffeur and protection during an upcoming tour of the still-segregated south. Cruising along the back roads and highways in a curvy blue Cadillac DeVille, the pair quickly dispenses with the pleasantries to share a few essential truths, each giving as much as they take. They rankle and irritate, an odd couple on wheels against the backdrop of a volatile social change, but through several close shaves and heated arguments, they develop a mutual admiration despite their fundamental differences.
Mostly a two-man show, Green Book thrives on the performances of Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali, who enrich twin roles that could have otherwise fallen into broad generalizations. The life and depth they bring to both individuals, and to their complicated friendship, make for more than just a standard morality play. It's also an impressively restrained turn for director Peter Farrelly, better known for his work with brother Bobby in a series of zany '90s comedies. He lets the tone set itself, resisting the urge to bludgeon us with the message, and sprinkles in a few solid laughs when the moment calls for it. A well-made and effective, if overly safe, best picture winner.