A indictment of shocking bigotry tinged with quite a lot of hope and optimism.

Rating: 8/10 (10 December 2019)

I really enjoyed this story of racism and double-standards that tugged at the very hypocritical heart of 1960s America. An initially hostile Viggo Mortensen is assigned as guide and bodyguard to the hugely talented Don Shirley as he and his quartet tour the still racially divided US Southern states. Mahershala Ali is formidable as the creative, and somewhat aloof musician, who naively sets off on the enterprise not quite prepared for the reactions he is to get - at times he is viewed as little better than a performing seal and is treated accordingly by his "hosts". The score is superb and the writing and photography a delight. Was it the best film, though? I sometimes think that much like with "Moonlight" and "Call Me By Your Name" the Academy is genuflecting to the fact that Hollywood has been so far behind the curve in reflecting the changes in society, that it now feels compelled to pat itself on the back at every opportunity just for catching up with cinema from the rest of the world. This is certainly a better film than the the other two I just mentioned, but will it still be a topic of conversation in five years...?