Green Book (2018)

A working-class Italian-American bouncer becomes the driver of an African-American classical pianist on a tour of venues through the 1960s American South.

Director:

Peter Farrelly

Writers:

Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie (as Brian Currie)

Stars:

Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini

Top Rated Movies #126 | Won 3 Oscars. Another 55 wins & 120 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Viggo Mortensen	...	Tony Lip
Mahershala Ali	...	Dr. Donald Shirley
Linda Cardellini	...	Dolores
Sebastian Maniscalco	...	Johnny Venere
Dimiter D. Marinov	...	Oleg
Mike Hatton	...	George
P.J. Byrne	...	Record Exec
Joe Cortese	...	Gio Loscudo
Maggie Nixon	...	Copa Coat Check Girl
Von Lewis	...	Bobby Rydell
Jon Sortland	...	Rydell Band Leader
Don Stark	...	Jules Podell
Anthony Mangano	...	Copa Bouncer Danny
Paul Sloan	...	Copa Maître D' Carmine
Quinn Duffy	...	Mikey Cerrone

Storyline

In 1962, Tony "Tony Lip" Vallelonga, a tough bouncer, is looking for work when his nightclub is closed for renovations. The most promising offer turns out to be the driver for the African-American classical pianist Don Shirley for a concert tour into the Deep South states. Although hardly enthused at working for a black man, Tony accepts the job and they begin their trek armed with The Negro Motorist Green Book, a travel guide for safe travel through America's racial segregation. Together, the snobbishly erudite pianist and the crudely practical bouncer can barely get along with their clashing attitudes to life and ideals. However, as the disparate pair witness and endure America's appalling injustices on the road, they find a newfound respect for each other's talents and start to face them together. In doing so, they would nurture a friendship and understanding that would change both their lives.

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Plot Keywords:

on the road | hotel | jail | piano | pianist | 

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Taglines:

Inspired by a True Friendship

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Genres:

Biography | Comedy | Drama | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic content, language including racial epithets, smoking, some violence and suggestive material

Did You Know?

Trivia

Costume designer Betsy Heimann fitted Viggo Mortensen's clothing quite tightly; implying Tony bought his suits many years and folded pizzas earlier, and his finances were too constrained to buy new ones. She also explained that the fashion at the time was for trousers to be worn up around the waist, not below the belly. She noticed that Viggo incorporated this into his performance, as Tony regularly pulls his pants up when he walks around, and thought, "He's doing that for me!"

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Goofs

When Tony throws out paper cup from the car, the background is an open farm land and white enclosure goes on forever. In the next scene when Tony pulls back the car to pick it up by the order of Dr. Shirley, the left side is green forest.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Dolores: Hello.
Dr. Don Shirley: You must be Dolores.
Dolores: Welcome!
Dr. Don Shirley: Buon natale. Thank you for sharing your husband with me.
Dolores: [Whispering as they hug] Thank you for helping him with the letters.

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Crazy Credits

The real-life photos (and a few insights into their lives after the events in the movie) of Dr. Donald Shirley and Frank "Tony Lip" Vallelonga are shown before the end credits roll.

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Connections

Referenced in #BlackAF: yo, between you and me... this is because of slavery (2020)

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Soundtracks

The Christmas Song
Written by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé
Performed by Nat 'King' Cole
Courtesy of Capitol Records
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

Greatful to have seen this

I saw this at the premier at TIFF and was thrilled to learn the story is about a real friendship. This is not a typical road movie, or buddy film. Given the lead actors, I knew it would be something special, and it is. Entertaining, funny in parts, hard to accept in others - as a white american who wasn't around in the 1960's, the racism was mind boggling and I couldn't help but feel shame. Green Book has so many layers - family, culture, honesty, dignity, genius, respect, acceptance, stereotypes, racism, music, class, friendship, and fried chicken. Whatever your views, race, or age - this film is not 'preachy', but you should appreciate an honest portrayal of a difficult time & place in history. I'll use the term an "unlikely friendship", but knowing the two men were real makes it fantastic. I'm so grateful to have learned about them and their lives. I only wish there had been a Q&A afterward.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Facebook [United Kingdom]

Country:

USA China

Language:

English Italian Russian German

Release Date:

16 November 2018 (USA)

Also Known As:

Green Book

Filming Locations:

Carnegie Hall, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$23,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$320,429, 18 November 2018

Gross USA:

$85,080,171

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$321,752,656

Company Credits

Production Co:

Participant, Dreamworks Pictures, Innisfree Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (Dolby 5.1) Dolby Surround 7.1 SDDS DTS (DTS: X)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1