It's just a buddy flick - and it's wonderful

Rating: 9/10 (12 March 2020)

I had heard the criticisms of this film - pandering to white guilt, white man saves the black man, too shallow on a deep subject - and found none of that.
What I did find was a little gem of a buddy flick - beautifully shot, with fantastic music, great nostalgia, and above all, incredible performances by the protagonists and the supporting cast. I don't use the term "buddy flick" to demean the movie. it's a perfectly valid sub-genre, done to greater or lesser effect since light met film.
I only mention this because I think some people either expected something more poignant on the subject matter, since it dealt with racism and segregation, or they want to read a broader meaning into what is basically a character-focused story about two very different people who became friends. It's there, and it's addressed, but it not what this movie is about.
Since there is really no plot to speak of, this movie really hinged on the relationship between Tony and Dr. Shirley. While the buddy concept has been done before, it often depends upon the classic situation-conflict-resolution plot structure as well.
That's not to say there isn't a story, but it's more of a shared adventure than a quest. There is conflict, but it has more to do with the characters, their relationship, and their own inner demons than the story. There is resolution, but it's not a two-out, bottom of the ninth, walk-off home run resolution - it's slower, deeper and more gradual, and as such, more deeply satisfying.
So I claimed a spoiler, and here it is. I did not know the story before I watched this movie, other than that it was based on a true story (that's not the spoiler :) ).
I was genuinely worried that some tragedy was going to befall these two right up to the end. I was worried about their being robbed in Birmingham. I was worried about their driving in a snowstorm and being killed in a wreck. I was worried about the cop that pulled them over in the North, fearful of one final, ironic, heartbreaking twist. I was deeply invested in these characters, and was rooting for them.
Spoiler alert: Happy ending. Dr. Sterling went to Tony's house and had Christmas eve dinner with his family, and they remained friends for the rest of their long lives.