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 50 wins & 96 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:

1960s | musician | segregation | christmas | friendship | 

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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

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Hungarian website

Country:

USA

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:

$321,744,097

Company Credits

Production Co:

Participant, DreamWorks, 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

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is the third movie for which Viggo Mortensen received a Best Actor Oscar nomination (after Eastern Promises (2007) and Captain Fantastic (2016)), but the first of the three where he doesn't do full frontal nudity.

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Goofs

When highway dotted lines are visible, they are yellow (as they are now), but in the 1960s, the dotted line in the middle of the road would have been white, with only the solid "do not pass" lines being yellow.

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Quotes

Dr. Don Shirley: [Tony offers him a fried chicken] Come on.
Dr. Don Shirley: I told you not to get grease on my blanket.
Tony Lip: [mockingly] Oooh, I'm going to get grease on my blanket.

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Crazy Credits

Real-life photos of Dr. Donald Shirley and Frank "Tony Lip" Vallelonga, and a few insights into their life after the events in the movie, are shown before the credits roll.

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Connections

Featured in CTV News at 11:30 Toronto: Episode dated 11 September 2018 (2018)

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Soundtracks

Rich Woman
Written by Dorothy La Bostrie and McKinley Millet
Performed by Li'l Millet and His Creoles
Courtesy of Specialty Records, A Division of Concord Music

User Reviews

Are We There Yet?

A journey of reawakening in a Country like ours - Gore Vidal called it the United States Of Amnesia - the absurdity of the behavior in the Southern communities even the kindest ones have a jarring effect. Viggo Mortensen is sheer perfection as the all American Italian. The opening of his heart and of his mind is a total joy and Mahershala Ali provides another magnetic character to his already rich list of magnetic characters but what makes this film fly so high is the humanity that Mortensen and Ali infuse their characters with. I loved them and Green Book provided me with one of the most satisfying endings of 2018. It leaves you with the hopeful thought that perhaps we're not there yet but that we are on our way. Happy New Year!