Green Book

I think about this film. I think about relaltionships Ive had but more importantly I think about how a person feels when he is uninvited into society at large. Im glad people are still making films about racism. I think I understand the issue but each film reminds me that I really dont understand how it FEELS. When my grammar school was integrated in the 1940s, I went to school with people of color and didnt think much about how they felt in their daily lives. I was in my 60s when I attended a reunion and found out that one of the brightest women who is a whole lot more successful than I ever was had to sit in the balcony at the movies when we were young . I never thought about where she was when I was with my white friends at the movies. So I recommend that everyone see this film and that more films be made to drive home the point over and over. See this, youll learn something.....perhaps not during the film but while youre stuck in traffic and your mind can think about it.

Others have discussed the plot, so I will confine my review to impressions and what I came away with after watching the movie. First: this is a study of contrasting characters. The beginning of the movie portrays two main characters who, on the surface, are polar opposites. As the movie unfolds you begin to see how alike both are in certain ways. To be sure, they are still worlds apart, but one striking similarity that I observed is Dr. Shirley exhibited both high intelligence and education. He imparts some of his knowledge to Tony who proves to be intelligent enough to grow (to a point) intellectually. Both also have strong personal codes and integrity. Dr. Shirley comes across as refined; Tony comes across as profane, unpolished and streetwise - but unyielding in his commitment to keeping his word and other matters of honor. True, they are still worlds apart, but the core similarities are there if you observe closely enough. Second: there are a number of themes, some subtle, some not so much. Both men came to not only respect each other by the end of the movie, but also lifelong friends. Tony was literally educated by Dr. Shirley, and came away with a different way of seeing the world (although there were moments of interaction between the two that portrayed Tony as having a wider and deeper view of things than his crude character would otherwise indicate.) Dr. Shirley was affected by Tonys views and actions, but from what I gleaned from the film, not nearly as dramatically. Tony actually grew as a human being, as well as intellectually; Dr. Shirley changed in outlook, but maintained his core strengths and impeccable manners and standards. Third: I loved the cinematography. I was fourteen when the events in the movie happened and the colors and feel were not only authentic; I felt as though I was transported back in time. To be honest, I was ignorant of the layers of racism that permeated American society during that time. In that respect I could empathize with Tonys oblivious notions and beliefs expressed during the film. Perhaps empathize is the wrong word - I understood Tonys frame of reference because I was equally oblivious back then. Both the writing and the acting were some of the best Ive seen in recent movies. It is a deep and nuanced character study, drawn from real life events and people, and things move at real life speed. Slow. Deep. If you love action, romance, humor - you probably will NOT like this movie. On the other hand, if you like excellent story telling with layers of nuance, with the added bonus of being based on actual events, you will probably love this film.

This movie is a gem that I believe is often overlooked. While covering the difficult subject matter, there are also light-hearted and altogether humorous moments to offer balance to the film. Mahershala Ali captivates and shines in this role as Dr. Don Shirley. Truly the real star of this film who offers a complex character full of humor, grace and style. Viggo Mortenson holds his own as Tony Lip, where he finds newfound comradery with Don Shirley, both coming from different backgrounds, culturally, educationally, and monetarily. Not to mention that this movie is during the time period where Martin Luther King Jr. and black men are fighting for equal rights throughout the country. Tony Lip in the beginning remained in ignorance or racial stereotypes only to be faced with it head-on in the deep South. Despite the many boundaries, a friendship of contrast was formed and they learned from one another and with that came appreciation. I read some reviews that were harsh accusing this film of being a White Savior Narrative. And while, Tony had to help bail Don Shirley out on a couple of occasions, he was hired to be a chauffeur and body guard, given that it is absolutely true that Nat King Cole was beaten by an all white audience in Birningham, AL in 1956. Don Shirley had to prepare accordingly. However, Don Shriley, also helped Tony Lip out in terms of writing letters to his wife, getting them both out of prison and being calm, while not resorting to violence when situations presented themselves. He also helped Tony from making some serious mistakes that could of led to some bad outcomes so they equally helped one another. On balance, they helped each other, which is what friends do. White Savior or Black Savior...they both stepped in that role. If you want to watch a movie that explores the attitudes of the 1960s South, Jim Crow Era but at the same time leaves you light-hearted and gives you a measure of hope, I suggest you try this one. For the time you watch it, you will think that anything is indeed possible.

Green Book will be notable in movie history if for no other reason than being the 2018 Best Picture winner at the Oscars. I stopped watching the Oscars years ago because they seem to delight in choosing the obscure or films that kowtow to popular fads, but Green Book is one of the rare exceptions that the Oscars got right. This film is the shared story of two disparate characters. The first is Don Shirley, an gifted African-American pianist, trained in Russia, connoisseur of languages, with an apartment above Carnegie Hall. The other was Tony Vallelonga, a rough-and-tumble Italian-American bouncer with connections to organized crime and a tremendous capacity to eat. When Shirley decides to undertake a tour of the Deep South in the early 1960s, he knows he will need protection. On the other hand, the nightclub Tony works at is closed for repairs and he needs a job for the next few months. After interviewing multiple people for the position of chauffeur, bodyguard, and bagman, Don eventually decides to hire Tony. At the beginning of their journey, there is a significant amount of friction between the two. Don is highly cultured, while Tony is salt of the earth; more notably, being of two different races leads Tony to make some insensitive, albeit not malicious, comments. Soon enough, however, Tony helps Don get out of tough situations and they bond. Some of the best scenes in the film are when Don performs. The piano work was actually done by Kris Bowers, but Mahershala Ali carries himself with confidence as he mimics the movements. Despite his obvious talent, Don is never fully accepted by white society. As Don himself notes, he feels too white to fit into black society and too black to join white society. This internal conflict reaches an emotional resolution in one of the final scenes of the film. There has been some criticism from Don Shirleys family that the film whitewashes aspects of his life. Leaving aside the question of whether Shirley was estranged from his kin (I get the impression he was), no story is able to incorporate every single perspective. Tony Vallelonga clearly held Don Shirley in high regard and viewed him as a friend, an attitude many white people fifty years ago were incapable of. More importantly, even if the story were entirely fictional, I think it offers a valuable lesson that we as human beings can learn from others whose experiences (and hence their perspectives) are different from our own. If nothing else, the film acquainted me with Don Shirley, who I had never heard of before, but whose music I now own on vinyl. The moments of levity, drama, and musical virtuosity in this film make it a great way to pass an evening. I highly recommend that everyone take the time to enjoy the performances of Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen.

Excellent movie. I had all of my friends and family watch it also

I love this movie, strong message, back in the day story with great performances.

Amazing acting, Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali are amazing. The chemistry as the story unfolds and their friendship builds is wonderful. Dont want to spoil things, but I truly cant praise this movie enough.

Loved how 2 completely different people can become lifelong friends. Good portrayal of a turbulent time in our history. Reinforces that we should only judge a person by their actions.

My family loves the movie

I like it all.