Logan Sork Film Reviews
Green Book
Films that deal with subject matter like race relationships need to be smart and sophisticated in order to give compelling argument. This is why I was worried when director Peter Farrelly was announced to direct the film, seeing as his “smartest” film is literally called Dumb and Dumber. Despite this, when you have actors like Viggo Mortenson and Mahershala Ali in the leading roles, I’m willing to give the film the benefit of the doubt. Having seen the film I now say with the sincerest heart that I owe Mr. Farrelly the deepest of apologies. While it has its flaws, Green Book is great film with charming actors, excellent direction and a perfectly balanced take on the subject matter that blends heart and humor with drama and relevant social problems.
Green Book is directed by Peter Farelly and stars Viggo Mortenson and Mahershala Ali. The film’s story follows Tony “Lip” Vallelonga, an Italian American bouncer who must find a source of income to support his family after the night club he works in is closed for renovations. Following up on a job lead, he is selected as a personal by Don Shirley, a black jazz pianist who is about to embark on a concert tour in the deep south. While not exactly ideal, Shirley believes Tony’s experience will come in handy when touring the hostile environment. While they initially don’t see eye to eye, the two men eventually discover a friendship that blossoms between them as they learn more about each other’s pasts and struggles whilst they tour the 1960’s American deep South.
Usually films that deal with such tricky themes and ideas like relationships are quite serious and demand a certain level of gravity. What sets Greenbook apart from other films about race relationships is that it is a surprisingly lighthearted film, filled with plenty of comedic moments among other serious situations. It is so refreshing to see a film with such serious ideas beneath its surface take a rather open approach to how it handles these serious elements. While people might say it’s inappropriate to deal with the subject matter this way, this take will likely encourage people to have a more open-minded viewing experience as opposed to other films that deal in similar subject matter. It’s also impressive to see how what is essentially a comedic road trip film deal with not just race relations but also other controversial subject matters in such a sophisticated and nuanced way. I’m not saying that all films that deal with this subject matter need to be comedic or lighthearted, I was just surprised by how well it managed to bring plenty of comedy while not losing sight of how to deliver emotionally resonant moments that make the ideas stick with the audience.
Of course, the film would be nowhere as interesting to watch if it weren’t for our two leads. Viggo Mortenson and Mahershala Ali have often been called some of the greatest living actors of the modern age, and this film is a testament to that statement. Mortenson brings a surprisingly layered performance for a character that appears to be one not on the surface. Sure, he’s a stereotypical Italian-American, but Mortenson’s performance during some of the film’s more dramatic moments ensure that Tony’s character is more than just a one-trick pony. Ali once again proves to be a true master of understatement in his nuanced portrayal of Don Shirley. He has a much more reserved attitude, making the moments where he reveals how he really feels all the more powerful. The opposite nature of the two characters makes for some great interactions on screen. There are plenty of hilarious antics that ensue as a result of these differences, yet there are also moments where these two collide that makes for a fun, yet realistic relationship. Green Book would not be what it is without these characters or Mortenson and Ali.
While there are also plenty of excellent elements in the film, from the direction, script and production design, I found a few minor nitpicks. Don Shirley has been regarded as one of the bet musicians ever and I was curious to see how Mahershala Ali and the filmmakers were going to pull this off and for the most part it looks pretty convincing. Ali does a great job looking like he’s playing while the filmmakers use a lot of closeups with a double to help make it more convincing. It is in the wide shots where visual effects are employed to make Mahershala Ali’s hands match the music that’s being played that the veil is lifted, and some believability is lost as the effect aren’t that all convincing. Thankfully, these moments are few and far between. Peter Farrelly’s comedic background is quite apparent when it comes to a couple of supporting actors. The actors feel cartoonish and don’t really fit with the otherwise realistic performances of the film. Again, these actors aren’t in the film that much, but is distracting when they are.
Those problems pale in comparison when you take a step back and look at he big picture Green Book gives you. Amongst great production values and direction, you will find a surprisingly sophisticated comedy that take its time to give us great performances and a lighthearted yet still impactful look into to some controversial issues and problems. This is a film that can appeal to anyone, as it is just deep as it is fun.
8/10