Green Book (2018)

Director: Peter Farrelly
Stars: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini
Runtime: 129 minutes

Synopsis: An Italian-American bouncer is hired to be the chauffeur of a pianist who comes from a very different background. Based on true events.

• Performances: 10/10

Why? Hands down two of the best performances of the year. Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali, who respectively play the vulgar Italian-American Tony and the piano virtuoso Dr. Shirley not only deliver performances filled with heart, emotion, and humor, but also have undeniable chemistry that made their relationship such an interesting one to watch. From Mortensen's perfect Italian accent to Ali's chilling speech under the rain, the pair proved once more that they're two of the best actors working today, and I think it's safe to assume that we're going to see both of them competing for the golden statue come award season. 

• Screenplay: 9/10

Why? When Peter Farrelly was announced as the director of a movie supposed to tackle social injustices in the 1960s, I found this choice to be weird given the director's comedic background (some of his previous work include "Dumb and Dumber" and "There's Something About Mary"). I completely understand that choice now because one thing this movie nails to perfection is the comedy. I firmly believe that the best way to deal with issues such as racism is to make fun of it, and "Green Book" does that in a way I've never seen before. While never deviating from its main theme, it also manages to keep the audience entertained by throwing in jokes that don't feel forced or distasteful, but instead show us viewers the ridiculousness of a racist mindset. The movie's highlight, however, was the relationship between two main characters I've grown to love thanks to excellent development and engaging dialogue. I only have a couple of issues with the script, issues that never truly affected my enjoyment of the film but that I feel have to be brought up. First of all, there are two characters that are also part of the two protagonists' journey but that are never given anything to do, making their presence in the story a bit of a liability. I also found the last 10 minutes to be slightly sappy and cheesy, unlike the rest of the film which feels extremely sincere and raw. But overall, "Green Book" is most definitely one of the best movies of the year and one I'll be revisiting without as soon as possible.

• Costumes/Makeup: 8/10

Why? Yes, they reflected very well the era in which the story takes place. But the reason I absolutely loved the costume design of the main characters is because it also reflects their personalities. Mortensen's character design was most of the time vulgar and filthy, while Ali's was always classy with just a touch of eccentric. 

• Editing: 9/10

Why? Despite the movie being over two hours long, I was never bored for a second. I only had a few technical issues with the editing in some scenes where it felt just a smidge unpolished, but that's just a nitpick that most likely will go unnoticed.

• Cinematography: 6/10

Why? The only aspect of the film that offered nothing special. The movie looked rather bland and quite honestly uninspired. However, it did give the film a more real feel, which I think is very important when telling a story that deals with such heavy subjects. Good and creative cinematography is always welcome in any movie, but I can understand why Farrelly probably chose not to make it his priority in this particular one. 

• Score/Soundtrack: 8/10

Why? Being about a musician on the road, music was obviously omnipresent in the film. I really enjoyed the soundtrack which beautifully painted a picture of the black-jazz culture that dominated the American South in the 1960s, and was on the moon every time Ali sat in front of a piano and started playing his music (through the hands of composer Kris Bowers, who served as the actor's piano double).

FINAL GRADE: 9/10