New York 1962, Don Shirley, a refined, cultured man (holding three doctorates) and a famous pianist, hires a driver, Tony “the Lip,” a somewhat rough-and-tumble hustler, to accompany him for eight weeks during a series of recitals in the southern states. As segregation prevails, they rely on the Green Book to find establishments that welcome people of color.
Obviously, almost everything sets them apart… Together, they will have to overcome their prejudices, forget what they considered insurmountable differences, to discover their shared humanity.
This is the true story of the relationship between African-American jazz pianist Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) and Italian-American bouncer Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen), whose real name is Frank Anthony Vallelonga – stemming from a well-crafted production based on a dynamic screenplay: a road movie by necessity.
This ode to friendship, supported by an excellent duo of actors, is a great film that aims to dismantle the prejudices of an America that is not so anachronistic.
