Green Book

Over the years, The Farrelly Brothers gave the world such films as Dumb and Dumber and There's Something About Mary. They're the sort of films the Academy freely ignores. This year, Peter Farrelly goes solo for an Oscar-calibur Dramedy, Green Book. You don't need to be the Academy to enjoy this true life story.

In 1962, Tony Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen), aka Tony Lip, is a bouncer at the Copacabana. He needs a job after the club closes for renovations. He's recommended to pianist Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) for a long-term job. Shirley, an African American, is about to tour the Deep South. He needs someone tough enough to manage his affairs. The sophisticated Shirley (aka Doc) and blunt Tony don't get along at first. But Tony comes around and takes the job. He's given a Green Book, a Black traveler's guide listing Black-friendly establishments.

The rest of the movie deals with their tour. Tony and Doc's personalities still clash. But they still help each other out. Shirley helps Tony write more sophisticated letters to his wife, Dolores (Linda Cardellini). Tony ensures Doc is accommodated at each stop. Tony is wowed by Shirley's musical talents. While Tony isn't racially sensitive, he's disgusted by the institutionalized racism Doc faces. Eventually, he and Doc become friends for real.

Farrelly and Brian Hayes Currie collaborated on the script with Tony's son, Nick. Its travelogue of the 1960s makes for a slow and steady 130 minutes. Tony and Doc's bickering makes for several humorous exchanges. The letter writing bits are endearing. But the film knows when to get serious. It's not funny when Doc is threatened for travelling in a "sundown town." Eventually, their refusal to play at the last stop is an awesome act.

Mortensen and Ali get equal spotlight here. Mortensen as Tony is a funny, tough guy. He's not enlightened at first but he's still an upstanding guy. Ali as Doc, meanwhile, is smooth and sophisticated. But he's only trying to stay tough in the face of racism. It takes a long, emotional speech in the rain for them to work out their differences. Tony and Doc's eventual friendship is a believable destination. The end of their journey takes them to a heartwarming Christmas Eve dinner at Tony's place.

There's also some delightful music. Whether Kris Bower's original score or the standards Doc plays, the soundtrack is great. It fits right in with the meaningful story. It's not a desperate grab at Oscar-bait by any means. It believes what it's saying. That's what makes Green Book a great crowd-pleaser. See it as soon as you can. It's worth the trip.