A road trip through the American South doesn’t go smoothly in Green Book, because, you know, racism.
Based on pianist Don Shirley’s 1960s tour, the film will lean on an odd couple dynamic to highlight the issues of the time. Shirley was a black man and a very accomplished performer, at home among upper class society, but even he knew that navigating the south would be dangerous. So he hired a white driver/bodyguard to ensure his safety, and through their differing life experience, the film will attempt to capture just how strange the tour was.
Frankly, the whole movie seems pretty standard until you start examining the team behind it. I bet you don’t imagine Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen as stars of a dramedy, but that’s the duo you have here. The Oscar winner and Oscar nominee, respectively, should provide a good core for the movie even as they stretch from their standard roles.
Helming the film is Peter Farrelly, who usually doesn’t take on such serious topics. Still, with all the comedy hits under his belt, perhaps his pairing with traditionally dramatic actors will provide the balance the film needs. It’s a tricky project for all involved because they can’t lean too far into the comedy or the drama without veering away from the promised tone, so they’ll all have to be perfectly in synch to pull it off.
Green Book is directed by Peter Farrelly and stars Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen. It will be released in the US on November 21st, 2018 and in the UK on February 8th, 2019. For international release dates, click here.
Do you think this team will land the right tone? Let us know in the comments!
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