Best Movie Of The Year

Rating: 9/10 (8 December 2018)

This movie gives no apologies for being schmaltzy. And I love it for that. It's classical storytelling ala "Driving Miss Daisy" in reverse. And color change.
Mahershala Ali is brilliant as piano prodigy Don Shirley, who needs someone to drive him on a tour through the deep South. Enter jamoke Tony Lipp. A newly unemployed bouncer whose brawn is worst than his bite played by Viggo Mortensen. Let's be honest, NOTHING is unexpected her if you've watched brotherly love movies from the past 30 years, or road movies for that matter like say..."Rain Man" the resolution is exactly what you think. But...so what? It's beautiful and touching and gets you in the right spot. And I love director Peter Farrelly for it. The problem with today's movies is that it believes being mean and criticizing ALL bigots means they have to be bumbling morons. Whilst true, there are also bigots with families who have good hearts or similar ignorance. That is the dynamics of depth. Obviously, the stakes aren't necessarily Civil Rights. It touches on it, but never pushes you into eye roll territory. Though presently criticized as softening the racism with humor, what is telling is that they paint Shirley's character as the world intelligent educated gifted Black man with talent and Viggo as coming to terms with others who are MUCH more bigoted as he. This illustrates the divide of class as much as race.
The tone is of joy and friendship and understanding. And though I think it's too simple to say it's begging for peace in a tumultuous era in America (it really isn't) it still is a fun road movie. More laughs than anything. Well crafted story of grown men finding ways to grow up.