2018 | Dir. Peter Farrelly | 130 Minutes
"You never win with violence, Tony. You only win when you maintain your dignity. Dignity always prevails."
New York wise guy Frank "Tony Lip" Vallelonga is hired by acclaimed black pianist Dr. Don Shirley to be his driver and bodyguard for an extended concert tour running through the American Midwest and the Deep South. On this travels with Dr. Shirley guided by the Negro Motorist Green Book, Tony witnesses the injustice black people are subjected to every day. By the end of the journey, Tony develops a lasting friendship with Dr. Shirley.
Based on the real life story of Tony's relationship with Dr. Shirley, written and produced by Tony's son Nick Vallelonga, Green Book is an odd couple comedic drama that juxtaposes street wise Tony with high society artist Dr. Shirley to present a heavy-handed but shallow anti-racism message. Director Peter Farrelly, best known for broad comedies, is a competent fit as the narrative follows the standard structure of a road movie not dissimilar to his past hits Dumb and Dumber and Me, Myself, and Irene. The humor, based primarily in Tony's ignorance and lewdness is rote and by the numbers, as is the way the film handles its central moral, from Tony quipping about the size of women's breasts in Pittsburgh, to his incredulous reaction when he discovers Dr. Shirley is unfamiliar with Little Richard's music, to his dramatic proclamation that his world is "blacker" than Dr. Shirley's when comparing the poverty in his Italian American community to Dr. Shirley's upper class way of life.
Viggo Mortensen's commitment to the role of Tony is commendable, doing his very best to humanize the character despite the fact that he was virtually written to as a stereotypical caricature. As Dr. Shirley, Mahershala Ali is brilliant, lifting up the film with his presence and showcasing his wide range of talent by bringing subtlety to the script's underwritten and somewhat inconsistent depiction of the virtuoso - troubled, reserved, eloquent, lonely, alcoholic, closeted homosexual. The onscreen chemistry between Mortensen and Ali is serviceable but less than memorable. Though always a welcome sight, Linda Cardellini appears in a small part as Tony's wife Dolores without much to do.
Strong performances from Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali elevate Green Book's status from mediocre to pseudo-prestigious. At best, the film is a mostly harmless feel-good picture that simply wags a finger at racism in America. At worst, it doesn't quite work as a comedy or a drama, presenting situations that are far better executed in other pictures that tackle the same subject matter with substantially more grace, tact, and pertinence.
FRAGMENTS
- Dr. Shirley's family condemns the film, stating Tony and Dr. Shirley's relationship was only on a professional level, and the friendship depicted in the picture is a complete fabrication
- Viggo Mortensen gained over 40 pounds to play Tony
MCU CONNECTIONS
- Linda Cardellini (Laura Barton in Avengers: Age of Ultron and Avengers: Endgame, and Lylla in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3)
- Mahershala Ali (Eric Brooks in Blade)
