Green Book (2018)

[Winston T. Boogie]

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: 2018-11-21

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.

 

[Wayne_j]

I just saw this, one of the best films of the year.

A black concert hall pianist and his white driver go on a concert tour in the segregationist south of the 1960's.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'm going to try to watch it this weekend, but the closest theater is 45 miles away.

 

[Wayne_j]

Just named best picture of 2018 by the National Board of Review. They gave Viggo Mortensen best Actor for his role in this film.

https://www.indiewire.com/2018/11/national-board-of-review-2018-winners-1202023489/

 

[Tino]

This looks great. Can’t wait to see it.

By the way the National Board Of Review awards are pretty meaningless and have little weight or respect from the entertainment community. Of all the award season “awards” they are the most ignored.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This looks great. Can’t wait to see it.

By the way the National Board Of Review awards are pretty meaningless and have little weight or respect from the entertainment community. Of all the award season “awards” they are the most ignored.

That's because its a NYC based organization. I respect them more than some of those other awards like the Golden Globes or Critics Choice that Hollywood takes more interest in.

 

[Tino]

That's because its a NYC based organization. I respect them more than some of those other awards like the Golden Globes or Critics Choice that Hollywood takes more interest in.

I think it’s more because members are just everyday people that buy their way into the organization. I’ll try to find a link to how they operate and the dubious history and voting practices of the NBOR.

 

[Tino]

Here’s one from a few years ago.

National Board of Review Chief Responds to Claims of Favoritism and Murky Membership

As the controversial organization holds its annual awards ceremony, some are questioning who the "film enthusiasts" are who make up the group and how they determine winners. Counters its leader, Annie Schulhof: "Sadly, there are people who have worked for the NBR who have not left under the best of circumstances and, as a result, harbor a grudge."

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/national-board-review-chief-responds-850994

 

[Tino]

Nice to see half of the Farrelly Bros going legit.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'm going to see this film today by making a short road trip to the theater playing it nearest to me.

 

[benbess]

Saw Green Book last night and liked it. Good performances and good drama.

Although I was born, raised, and educated in California, I've lived in Louisville, Kentucky, for 19 years. In the movie, when they drive from Indiana into Kentucky, crossing the border between the states is portrayed as being done on a country road without a bridge, but if you look on a map you'll see that the entire border between Indiana and KY is defined by the huge Ohio River. For anyone who actually lives in this area, or even knows the geography of this area, it doesn't help in terms of believability. Next point is that Louisville is in the far North of Kentucky, and is not part of the deep South. In fact, Kentucky itself stayed in the Union during the Civil War. In general Louisville was probably more progressive than some places in the deep South in 1962, but in the movie suddenly you're in the deep South once this fictionalized border is crossed. They are very careful in their portrayal of New York City at the time, but probably nothing in the movie was actually filmed in Louisville because there are no recognizable buildings or cityscapes at all.

Small points. And I still enjoyed the movie and liked it a lot. My rating: "B+"

 

[Patrick Sun]

Enjoyed it, great give-and-take between Mortensen and Ali. I was shocked to find out Peter Farrelly directed this film.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Enjoyed it, great give-and-take between Mortensen and Ali. I was shocked to find out Peter Farrelly directed this film.

Same here! I thought it was well worth my short road trip to see it. I'll definitely buy it on disc. I have one ironic story to tell about my theater experience. Since, I just ate lunch, I decided to bypass any snacks, not even a soda. The theater was about one third full. I took an aisle seat about 2/3 up in the theater and sat behind an older white woman in the third seat of the row in front of me and she had nobody on either side of her. After about 10-15 minutes into the film, she gets up and moves to another seat in the theater. Perhaps, as a large African-American male in his 60's, I'm too sensitive in thinking she moved because of me. However, after watching the entire film and seeing the audience was mainly white except for maybe 3-4 people, that thought of her moving because of me did linger in my mind especially considering the theme of this film. I hope I'm wrong, but that little voice in my head says I'm not and based on life experiences that little voice is usually right. Am I being paranoid?

 

[Elizabeth S]

Robert, many reasons she might have moved seats -- too close or too far, directly in the A/C breeze, you breathe too loud.

I really enjoyed this movie! Terrific friendship story with a lot of humor despite the theme. One of my favorites this year for sure.

 

[Malcolm R]

Yeah, I wouldn't think too much about it. I usually move, too, if I'm in a mostly empty theater and someone sits right behind me.

That's an annoyance of mine, actually. You're likely to hear a loud, annoyed sigh just before I move.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Sometimes a seat that seems perfect before the movie starts doesn’t seem that great once you actually get the movie onscreen.

I tend to prefer to sit closer than further away, and every now and then I’ll decide to re-evaluate this and try a seat further back than usual. And I’ll usually rediscover that I don’t like being further back once the movie starts and then move.

Or you could be right, she could have moved for a reason that was less than pure. But I would guess someone moving solely to get away from someone else would make that move sooner than later.

All sorts of weird people go to the movies by me and then behave in weird ways and I’m always at a loss to understand it.

 

[Wayne_j]

Although I don't know why somebody who would go to a movie about racial segregation in 1962 would move because they are uncomfortable around a black person.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Although I don't know why somebody who would go to a movie about racial segregation in 1962 would move because they are uncomfortable around a black person.

I've seen stranger behavior.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Robert, many reasons she might have moved seats -- too close or too far, directly in the A/C breeze, you breathe too loud.

Perhaps, you're right!

 

[Robert Crawford]

Interesting that Tony Lip's son co-wrote the screenplay. I really liked the music chosen for this film too.