Decent period drama

Rating: Null/10 (31 July 2019)

Green Book, the Best Picture Academy Award Winner of 2018, is the story of Tony "Lip" Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen) and Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali). The latter being a celebrated African-American pianist and the former being the man hired to drive him around Southern USA. In the 60s, when racial separation was still very much enforced in those states.
It is a good movie. A bit of a slow one, with a clear, easy to understand structure. But it's very much an actor's film, with most of the heavy lifting resting on its two main leads. Luckily, both of them are powerhouse actors, easily able to sell the complex emotions, frustrations and joys required to sell you, the viewer, this emerging friendship. Both were also nominated for an Academy Award for their performances, with Ali winning for Best Supporting Actor. Earned, I'd say.
I call it an actor's film, but it's not like all the other aspects of a film were in any way lackluster. It's a well-shot, well-paced film with good dialogues, good music and good locations. Not a flashy movie by any means, but the craft is definitely there.
All that being said, I don't think this was the best film of 2018. It's a good film, but quite honestly I found myself thinking that I had already seen many movies just like it as I walked out of the theatre. It's a feel-good movie about two people finding common ground despite their differences. With a healthy dose of race being thrown in. Does this lessen the movie's value? No, no at all. But I'd like to expect something extra from a Best Picture winner.
Still, the movie is good, don't get me wrong. Definitely worth a watch if you're a fan of its genre.