User:LancedSoul/sandbox/Green Book

Green Book is a 2018 American biographical comedy-drama film directed by Peter Farrelly. Set in 1962, the film is inspired by the true story of a tour of the Deep South by African American classical and jazz pianist Don Shirley and Italian American bouncer Frank "Tony Lip" Vallelonga, who served as Shirley's driver and bodyguard. The film was written by Farrelly, Brian Hayes Currie and Vallelonga's son, Nick Vallelonga, based on interviews with his father and Shirley, as well as letters his father wrote to his mother. The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2018, where it won the People's Choice Award. It was then theatrically released in the United States on November 16, 2018, by Universal Pictures.

Plot
Dr Don Shirley is a world-class African-American pianist, who is about to embark on a concert tour in the Deep South in 1962. In need of a driver and protection, Shirley recruits Tony Lip, a tough-talking bouncer from an Italian-American neighbourhood in the Bronx. Despite their differences, the two men soon develop an unexpected bond while confronting racism and danger in an era of segregation.

Why It Rocks

 * 1) Despite the movie's divisive nature, Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali were still praised by most sides as giving strong leading performances.
 * 2) Tony is this to a T. He's boorish, foul-mouthed, crude, uncultured, has a bit of a temper, casually racist and not above theft or violence, but he's also a genuinely loving family man who eventually warms up to Don and lets go of his prejudice.
 * 3) Don seems to be just a haughty dandy. During Tony's job interview, he sits on a throne. He mocks Tony's ignorance. He also seems to consider himself superior to other black people. Actually, he suffers from being estranged from both black people (because of his privileged status) and white people (because of white people's prejudices). He is also a brave person who dare to tour in the Deep South, even if he knows it is dangerous and even if he has more lucrative opportunities, because he thinks that it is useful to change the white people's minds about black people.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) Some criticism of its depiction of both race and Shirley.
 * 2) The scene where Don is nearly arrested for having a public rendezvous with another man at a pool. It happens suddenly, contributes very little to the overall plot, and is never referenced again.

Reception
Green Book received positive reviews from critics, with praise for Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali's performances, although it also drew some criticism of its depiction of both race and Shirley. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 77% based on 358 reviews, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "Green Book takes audiences on an excessively smooth ride through bumpy subject matter, although Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen's performances add necessary depth.". On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 69 out of 100, based on 52 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a rare average grade of "A+" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported filmgoers gave it a 91% positive score, with 80% saying they would definitely recommend it.