Green Book

An Academy Award nominee for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, this fascinating true story of an unlikely friendship begins by introducing “Doc” Don Shirley (Oscar-nominee Mahershala Ali), an elegant, educated Jamaican-American classical pianist who lives in an apartment above Manhattan’s Carnegie Hall. In 1962 when his record company sends him on a concert tour of the Deep South, Shirley hires a gruff, gluttonous, street-wise bouncer from the Copacabana nightclub as his driver/road manager. Known as “Tony Lip” (Viggo Mortensen), he’s an admittedly racist Italian. Married to Dolores (Linda Cardellini), Tony lives in the Bronx with two kids and extended family. Even though this job will take him away for two months, the pay is good, and he’ll be home for Christmas. So chain-smoking Tony hits the road in a turquoise Cadillac with starchy, stoic Shirley. Along the way, they discover much about one another, overcoming their personal differences while facing inevitable humiliations and indignities involving racial prejudice. After many years of collaborating with brother Bobby on gross-out comedies (including the Dumb and Dumber franchise), this is Peter Farrelly’s first solo directing job. An inspiring, uplifting drama, this is highly recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include the behind-the-scenes featurettes “An Unforgettable Friendship” (5 min.), “Virtuoso Performances” (4 min.), and “Going Beyond the Green Book” (4 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD and digital copies of the film. Bottom line: a small extras package for this Best Picture nominee.] (S. Granger)