GREEN BOOK

Rating: 8/10 (3 January 2019)

Green Book is a road story, telling the relationship between a racist Italian-American bodyguard and his boss who is a famous black piano player.
Viggo Mortensen who is playing Tony Lip, the Italian bodyguard, shines as a leading actor. Tony Lip is an uneducated but a practical person. He can even eat 26 hot dogs for money or steal the gangster's precious hat and sell back to the gangster again. We see his racism in the scene he puts the glasses which black workers drank lemonade, to the garbage. He became unemployed when Copa, the nightclub he works, closed for renovation.
At that time the famous piano player Dr. Shirley (played by Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali) was looking for a driver for his tour to the southern cities of USA. He needed not only a driver, but a practical man getting things done in the tour program. He was well educated, can speak at least 3 languages, but his social skills is not well developed. He hires Tony Lip and the the tour begins.
We know the director Peter Farrelly and his brother from absurd comedies like The Dumb and The Dumber or There's Something About Mary. Even though there are many scenes that we have laughed in Green Book, we cannot say that is a comedy. Peter Farrelly made a good job with blending comedy, dram, road movie and even romance.
As a summary Green Book is a very good film with solid performances. You will enjoy every minute of this 130 minutes film. One more note, the film was based on a true story. After watching the film, find some Don Shirley music from Spotify or whatever, and listen him and his trio with a glass of whiskey.