Green Book (2019) Movie Review

GREEN BOOK (2019) MOVIE REVIEW

Before 2019, there were 91 films who earned the prestigious honour of being named the best. Now Peter Farrelly's cultural dramadey Green Book has been given the title of the 92nd Best Picture winner according to the academy. Since the Academy Awards inception back in 1929, it's fair to say that there have been a few controversial winners throughout the years. Whether it be 2006's Crash or even a film like 1994's Forrest Gump, the Academy has been criticised for picking some "interesting" winners with Green Book being the latest to join these apparently underserving films. 

Green Book follows the relationship between Italian-American bouncer Tony Lip as he takes a driver job tasked in transporting renowned African-American pianist Dr. Don Shirley through the American South during the 1960's. Alot of similarities between this film and a previous Best Picture have been pointed by many critics and regular movie-goers and while the initial plot does resemble that of Driving Miss Daisy, the overall story-arc as the film progresses strays further and further away from that of 1989 classic. The most notable difference being that the race roles are reversed with the African-American man being the one that needs chauffeuring which in tern creates a new dynamic as the number of people that confront Tony asking why the white man is driving around the coloured is quite confronting though for time these type of questions were in some way reasonable. 

  

It wouldn't be a fair review if I didn't bring up the controversy surrounding the film. For those unaware, Green Book has been chastised following it's Best Picture win as multiple sources who knew our two protagonists stated that the film doesn't depict key moments correctly as well as being ethnically incorrect in it's depiction of discrimination as many of their problems are easily solved, and caused, by the working-class New York based bouncer. Now that's not to say the movie is bad, far from it. Green Book may actually be one of my favourite films I've seen in quite some time as the movie is driven by our two leads Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali both of which were nominated for their phenomenal performances. From start to finish, the relationship built between the two is what kept me invested as while at the start Tony is just in this for the money and is shown to favour his culture, he gradually learns to care and become good friends with Dr. Shirley till they both succumb to fate months between each other. This of course is aided by the performances given, particularly Ali who is easily the stand out in the movie. Winning Best Supporting Actor for his role, Ali's range shown is something that can't be replicated. From picky to pleasant, his gradual journey is shown through his emotional state of being as he starts of solitary but soon shows emotions towards Tony and opens up about being African-American in a time like the 1960's. While done plenty of times before, the way this is portrayed in Green Book is one of the best depictions of discrimination seen in quite some time. 

While the film may divide many due to it being too safe and playing right into the Academy's hands, theres no denying the reason why Green Book was nominated in the first place. Because it's a great film. With superb acting from both leads and a pace that mixes drama and comedy swimmingly, Peter Farrelly appears to be back in his prime after many lows like Dumb and Dumber To and The Three Stooges. And if that's the case, thank you for making this. Sincerely, everyone.   

OVERALL

8 / 10