Book Review: Green Book (2018)

[AgentPete]

Title: Green Book

Tagline: Inspired by a true friendship

Genre: Drama, Comedy

Director: Peter Farrelly

Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini, Don Stark, Sebastian Maniscalco, Tom Virtue, Brian Stepanek, Joe Cortese, David Kallaway, Paul Sloan, P. J. Byrne, Iqbal Theba, Ninja N. Devoe, Jim Klock, Daniel Greene, Martin Bats Bradford, Anthony Mangano, Craig DiFrancia, Tracy Brotherton, Johnny Williams, David An, William E. Harris, Geraldine Singer, Rebecca Chulew, Emily LaGroue, Suehyla El-Attar, Ricky Muse, Dimiter D. Marinov, Nick Vallelonga, Leslie Castay, Mike Hatton, Jon Michael Davis, Harrison Stone, Gralen Bryant Banks, Brett Beoubay, Don DiPetta, Quinn Duffy, Jenna Laurenzo, Mike Young, Brian Distance, Kenneth Israel, Brian Hayes Currie, Jeffrey Klemmer, Kate Kuen, Elton LeBlanc, Cynthia LeBlanc, Shane Partlow, Jared Drennan

Release: 2018-11-16

Runtime: 130

Plot: Tony Lip, a bouncer in 1962, is hired to drive pianist Don Shirley on a tour through the Deep South in the days when African Americans forced to find alternate accommodations and services due to segregation laws below the Mason-Dixon Line relied on a guide called The Negro Motorist Green Book.



Stunningly good review of this by Rex Read:
Viggo Mortensen’s Charm Is as Big as His Belly in One of the Best Films of the Decade

Like Read, I suspect a good film from a Farrelly is a contradiction in terms, but this looks like an amazing exception...

 

[Katie-Ellen]

This looks good.

Being slated on Twitter, but I never heard of the Green Book before.

 

[AgentPete]

Is it? What are people saying?

 

[Katie-Ellen]

#greenbook hashtag on Twitter

Don Shirley's relatives hate it, apparently. I'm still going to watch it. I'll learn something I didn't know before, and it seems film makers can't do right for doing wrong these days.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

Such a wonderful movie. Probably one of my all time favorites.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

#greenbook hashtag on Twitter

The relatives hate it, apparently. I'm still going to watch it. I'll learn something I didn't know before, and it seems film makers can't do right for doing wrong these days.

What can you hate about it?

 

[Carol Rose]

I haven't seen it yet, but it got some Oscar nominations and is supposed to be very good, from what I hear.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Some family feel it is mis-appropriation, apparently, and mis=characterization. There's some stuff about that floating about on the Net. Won't stop me watching it when I get the chance.

 

[Leonora]

Terrible review in The Times today, after a very positive interview with lovely Viggo in The Sunday Times. Have to see for ourselves I suppose.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

Some family feel it is mis-appropriation, apparently, and mis=characterization. There's some stuff about that floating about on the Net. Won't stop me watching it when I get the chance.

DUH... God, I'm thick... I thought you meant some of your family/relatives didn't like it. Only this morning did I realise you were talking about relatives of the characters. I can understand that. But if you don't have blood ties to anyone in the film, it is superb.

 

[Carol Rose]

Well, reviews for films are no different than reviews for books. They are, after all, only one person's opinion. And heaven knows there have been many, many films that depict the life of someone real, only to have the creators of the film change things around in the story. I still want to see it and will get around to it one day. I'm always curious why the Oscar contenders are chosen. Usually I like the films, but sometimes I sit there scratching my head, wondering what others saw in them that I simply don't. It's all subjective.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

Ah ha, Carol Rose, I might be able to help you there (thanks to my son). Take a look at this:

 

[Steve C]

Just watched this. Most films I struggle to get through but this one held me all the way.
The clip has a small spoiler but no big deal

 

[Eva Ulian]

Looks like a real, authentic piece of work.

 

[Paul Whybrow]

Viggo Mortensen is creative in more ways than acting, being a skilled photographer, painter, poet and publisher!

Viggo-Works -

Home - Perceval Press

 

[DavidM]

Yet another entry in White Hollywood's continued theme of supposedly telling a "Black" story, but it's really all about the White guy who saves the Black guy. I was totally with Spike Lee who wanted to walk out when this was announced as Best Picture.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

Yet another entry in White Hollywood's continued theme of supposedly telling a "Black" story, but it's really all about the White guy who saves the Black guy. I was totally with Spike Lee who wanted to walk out when this was announced as Best Picture.

To be honest, it didn't occur to me to interpret the film that way. I thought the white guy was the one who needed saving and the black guy saved him. Or, that both needed saving, in a way, and they helped each other. In real life the two men stayed friends.

It certainly introduced me to the music of Don Shirley, for which I am grateful.