“Green Book”

This is my favorite movie of the year.  I am confident that it will get Oscar attention.

The title may seem a bit strange but it’s meaning will become clear once you buy a ticket….which you must do!

The lead actors are extraordinary.  Mahershala Ali plays Dr. Don Shirley, a gifted pianist who travels the world with his trio which carries his name.  Viggo Mortensen is Tony Lip, a Bronx tough guy who lands the job driving the musician on a two month concert tour through the Deep South, finishing up just before Christmas.  Oh, I almost forgot, it’s based on a true story.

The timeframe is early 1960’s prior to the passage of the Civil Rights Act.  It’s fun to see the cars from that era which bring back lots of fond memories.

Mortensen is an actor of enormous range and gifts.  He has previously been nominated for two Oscars, one in 2008 for his leading role in “Eastern Promises” and again more recently for 2017’s “Captain Fantastic”.   I always thought he was born in Scandinavia somewhere but he was actually born in New York City.  As a young child his family moved to South America but he eventually returned  to New York with his mother and was schooled in the U.S.  To add to his acting chops,  he is also an accomplished photographer, poet and painter.  But “can he juggle”?  Undoubtedly yes.

Mahershala Ali shares the screen beautifully with Mortensen.  He of course won an Oscar last year for his performance in the Oscar winning film “Moonlight”.  You may also remember him as the savvy lobbyist in Netflix’s “House of Cards”.

This is a story of an unlikely friendship.  A blue collar racist from the inner city paired with a very well educated African American who is a virtuoso pianist and lives above Carnegie Hall!

Tony lands the job as Dr. Shirley’s driver, valet and bodyguard and off they go.  The interplay between the two as they move from city to city is at times emotional, at times hilarious and always engaging.

Peter Farrelly who wrote and directed none other than “Dumb and Dumber” brought this gem to the screen and it will no doubt change the caliber of his work and increase the demands to land him as a director.

It’s tough to watch some of the scenes from 1962, whether in the Bronx or in Alabama.  It is important that we take a close look at those days from time to time and this beautiful movie lets us do that and marvel at a friendship was born amidst the hate and lasted until a few years ago when Dr. Shirley and Tony each passed within months of one another.

Grab your best friend and get out to see this wonderful movie.  It will no doubt receive major notice come Oscar time.