Green Book

Universal Pictures | Release Date: November 16, 2018

8.0	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 613 Ratings

USER RATING DISTRIBUTION

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Review this movie

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Please sign in or create an account before writing a review.

Check box if your review contains spoilers

0 characters (5000 max)

User Reviews

User score By date Most helpful

Xan_RyilFeb 20, 2019

With the noise it made recently, I could say I was bit disappointed. Overall it was a decent movie but not worthy of the names it grabbed. I think anyone would agree that this movie is like watching a re-mastered version of “Driving MissWith the noise it made recently, I could say I was bit disappointed. Overall it was a decent movie but not worthy of the names it grabbed. I think anyone would agree that this movie is like watching a re-mastered version of “Driving Miss Daisy” with much focus on the recent changes.
Times were simpler back in 1989 when “Driving Miss Daisy” was released and the focus was only on the story and relationship between a Jewish women and Black driver. But in almost three decades’ focus became less and less towards the story and more on “How to force the academy members to vote for this movie?”. Movie spills its beans way too early and even with that pace, every single step is predictable. Even upcoming scenes could be predicted with exact timing and words. Either writers wanted to stick to the real story too much or they wanted to not show anything to antagonize either color. And as a product of their effort, the output was mediocre.
As far as acting goes, Mahershala Ali is on average. Beside one scene, his acting looks like an effort. For a person like me who has seen him for several years, on House of Cards giving a brilliant performance before he became famous, his portrayal was a huge let down. His effort was visible but he resisted taking risk. Viggo Mortensen on the other hand was closer to the character he was playing. He did not come up with the sharp Italian ascent we’d expect since God Father but his body language was very impressive. Ironically, Viggo was nominated for a similar role 11 years ago for “Eastern Promises”.
The Green Book is not a bad movie and definitely not a bad idea, but it sure was wasted to milk the recent black cow.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

All this user's reviews

GiuliusNov 24, 2018

Prepare to sit through a very long "before" as the movie explores Tony's thuggish, comic-book background. (Cross a Mafiosi and a New Yoaker, that's Tony!) Then sit through a well-meaning but laborious exposition of how he and a self-centered,Prepare to sit through a very long "before" as the movie explores Tony's thuggish, comic-book background. (Cross a Mafiosi and a New Yoaker, that's Tony!) Then sit through a well-meaning but laborious exposition of how he and a self-centered, judgmental black musical genius develop a (dare we say it) quasi-affectionate relationship. After one hour I took my leave, but maybe you'l stay longer and tell me how it ends...… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

All this user's reviews

jgzegerFeb 24, 2019

Oh no, not another movie about racism in American! Although this in not a bad flick, it is basically boring. I ended up clipping my toe nails while watching it, and didn't miss a thing.

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

All this user's reviews

katezoeFeb 26, 2019

Very vanilla look at racism in America. Rather boring. Don't waste your time seeing it. Watch Spike Lee BlacKkKlansman for the real thing.

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

All this user's reviews

TrevorsViewDec 27, 2018

Meet Frank “Tony Lip” Vallelonga, who back in 1962 was challenged to remain upright alongside greater authority against his will, except that isn’t clear from the shallow focus of Green Book. The real Tony had a marriage much like Clark GableMeet Frank “Tony Lip” Vallelonga, who back in 1962 was challenged to remain upright alongside greater authority against his will, except that isn’t clear from the shallow focus of Green Book. The real Tony had a marriage much like Clark Gable teaching Claudette Colbert how to hitchhike, but the crunched cinematic events with Tony’s wife, Dolores, move too quickly. Rather, focus falls more on getting to know Tony through travelling musician Don “Doc” Shirley, whom he drives across the country as his personal chauffer.

While Tony takes on a stereotype reversal against his Italian blood, Dr. Shirley goes against Black stereotypes by his consistent calmness. Plus, the thinner Black companion writes better than the pudgy Italian, who is more familiar with Black musicians than the Black man is. By that retrospective, the Italian is internally Black, and the African is internally White. While Dr. Shirley loathes the prejudice of his new friend, he asks what defines “Blackness,” which turns out quite effective for us viewers to hear. So henceforth, dumb and smarter progress on a journey full of Kentucky Fried Chicken while everyone back at Tony’s home eats clams on spaghetti, all where you ache to see the resolution.

Between each person, both from the ensemble and two leads, the details guarantee chuckles. One of those humorous touches that fuel the teal Cadillac toward its warm finale includes when Tony folds an entire pizza in half, then chomps down onto it, big. Even if counting the more dramatic moments, small moments put you on its side. These moments kick off instantly with a performance of, “That Old Black Magic” to open the feature, and the momentum of this small moment collection continues without halt.

Yet here’s the problem with this well-meaning story structure: no big moment ties any reasonable story arcs together. From the main arc of Tony left in his own little universe, it just makes everybody else impossible to connect with, especially Dolores, who never succeeds to teach her husband anything valuable. While Don has the advantage of flaunting way more screen time, he’s no easier to relate to since he almost matches Jesus-levels of moral perfection, even though he’s clearly not. Case in point: this “king of the jungle” keeps ivory tusks as trophies, suggesting an engagement in illegal animal poaching.

It’s particularly weird how this film aims for a PG-13 rating; there’s no reason for it to do so, for its lack of inappropriate content doesn’t mean teenagers will overlook the cheap production values. They’re still used to watching televised recreations of their own drama; most of them aren’t ready for a story like this. As for the parents, the moms won’t take such a boring character like Dolores seriously, since her makeup in bed after waking up still looks perfect! Many dads also won’t relate to Tony’s type of masculinity very well—one that always has a cigarette in his mouth of missorted life priorities. His pompous ego that shines through the symbolism of a stolen jade rock supposedly gets a change of heart once he listens to Don Shirley’s traveling band, except that impact is not felt from the audience’s perspective; the band in truth is about the same amount of fun to listen to as any old street musician.

Many other missed opportunities prevent this picture’s intentional importance from resonating long term. Throughout his travels, Tony writes down that he is basking in the beauty of the US south… beauty that by the way seldom reveals itself to us viewers, as the image often lets a map visual take up space. It’s not just stylistic inconsistency that’s the problem, other glossed-over narrative points are missed to their advantage, particularly one hot dog eating contest. Among numerous incomplete philosophies that just fill up page space without a payoff later, one said by Tony includes, “whatever you do, do it 100%.” Pretty deep, ain’t it?

At the end of the day, most of the characters in this feature just act racist without justification as they themselves become offensive caricatures, such as one White manager at a theater who refuses to clean a piano for Dr. Shirley’s performance. This overall attitude loses the impact upon Tony’s sin as racial connections overbear the focus in a way that feels manipulative rather than personal. Such shame-filled preaching lacks subtlety, particularly in a poorly executed scene when the Cadillac car breaks down beside the glares of Black field workers, a scene that served no real plot purpose.

At this point, a boy taking out his anger through an imaginary tree monster would be better to watch than the skimmed long-stretching beauty of Green Book. I believe Mr. Vallelonga’s story might have been better if Participant Media focused more time on his home within the Bronx, that way we could see how Tony’s unemployment affected others around him.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

All this user's reviews

JLuis_001Feb 18, 2019

To a certain extent I don't think this film is a disappointment but I do think that maybe it has achieved an undeserved appreciation.

I say this because Green Book is a film that cannot help feeling shallow and condescending. It's veryTo a certain extent I don't think this film is a disappointment but I do think that maybe it has achieved an undeserved appreciation.

I say this because Green Book is a film that cannot help feeling shallow and condescending.
It's very predictable and that inevitably affects it way too much and the way it tries to sweeten up the narrative in a subject that shouldn't be treated in this way, it clearly ends up affecting the general functioning because it's unable to make what you're seeing feel more real despite being based on a true story.

It's not a bad film but definitely its strengths are Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen, not the rest.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

All this user's reviews

TyranianJun 26, 2019

Very well-acted and visually quite strong. Writing is also mostly good but the plot goes from realistic and relatable to unbelievable and sappy.