Odd coupling and a change in pace for filmmaker Farrelly equals a fine display in production and acting.

Rating: 9/10 (16 December 2018)

GREEN BOOK (2018) ***1/2 Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini, Sebastian Maniscalo, Dimiter D. Marinov, Mike Hatton. Well-produced and acted true-life account of an odd coupling friendship in the form of Bronx-born tough guy Tony Lip (Mortensen, employing the 'dese,dem & dose' school of acting to the nth degree) hired as a driver for cosmopolitan concert pianist Dr. Don Shirley (stalwart and pristine Ali) circa 1962 thru an 8 month tour thru the Deep South with the as expected tell-tale signs of the times (racism and classism to boot). Unlikely director Peter Farrelly surprises all in a turn of displaying his dramatic goods (sprinkled with enough humor to keep things even-keeled) with ample help from his two leads parrying and giving good with one another. While the seemingly easy to pigeonhole 'sex-change/role reversal DRIVING MISS DAISY' easily could've been the pitch, the screenplay by Farrelly, Nick Vallelonga and Brian Hayes Currie gives enough depth in both characters and a fine arc-piece in the process.