Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		4.0

Green Book Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 21, 2019

Director Peter Farrelly's (Kingpin) Green Book is a lovingly crafted picture that tells the bonding story of a renowned and cultured black pianist and his fairly gruff, white New York driver who accompanies him on a Southern states tour in 1962. The title is taken from "The Negro Motorist Green Book," a guidebook printed in the middle decades of the 20th century to help direct African-American travelers towards "safe" places to eat, sleep, and rest on the road, throughout the United States and particularly in the Jim Crow South. The film is dramatically compelling and subtly funny, extremely well acted, and one of the true cinema joys of 2018.

Green Book essentially tells two stories that become a single tale of an unlikely friendship amidst a world of hate. One story is of a black man of enormous natural musical talent named Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali). He’s highly intelligent and appreciated for what he can do at the piano. He is maybe a little stuffy in conversation and somewhat demanding of those around him, but he's a good man at heart. Despite his personal successes he still faces resistance in most every area of his life because of the color of his skin. For example, he is more than welcome to play in a club, which will earn the venue money, but he is not welcome to eat in the same place simply because some “policy” says he cannot. The second story follows a gruff and tough white man named Frank Vallelonga, a.k.a. “Tony Lip” (Viggo Mortensen), who shows not necessarily racial disdain but certainly has his doubts about integrating whites and blacks. When two black repairmen drink from cups in his home, he discards them rather than simply clean them. He takes a job chauffeuring Dr. Shirley mostly because he needs the money, not because he is overly thrilled with the prospect of leaving his family for two months on the road and being at Shirley's beck-and-call.

Eventually, the film explores the bond that forms between Tony and Dr. Shirley despite enormous differences in their physical appearance, mental makeup, and emotional well beings. Tony is white and Dr. Shirley is black. Tony will never be mistaken for an intellect. Dr. Shirley is about as well-spoken and sharp as they come. Tony is treated more fairly in life because of the color of his skin and his physical stature (he was a bouncer before taking the driving job), not for his intelligence or skills in some area that sets him apart from others. Dr. Shirley is a man of great talent and stature yet often denied even basic courtesies because of the color of his skin. He is not proud of the world in which he must live, of course, but he also does not back down from standing up for himself. Tony sees that stalwart posture and begins to admire Dr. Shirley for it. He comes to understand that the the man is more than the color of his skin. Of course there are bumps in the road, stumbles in their growing relationship, but a mutual respect develops over time that allows Tony to see beyond skin color and Dr. Shirley to see beyond Tony’s lack of education and comparatively crude demeanor.

Through their shared experiences, both men gain an appreciation for the culture from which the other comes. Tony almost immediately finds himself impressed with Dr. Shirley's musical talents but he is understandably a little put off by his employer's more demanding adherence to strict routine and decorum. That's not who Tony is, but he can appreciate that Dr. Shirley is writing his check, and he more or less complies with the doctor's wishes, even if the two have to say more than should be necessary to reach the same place, whether concerning smoking in the car or returning a small stolen item to a shop. But as time passes by, Tony begins to appreciate the doctor's life approach and his stalwart attitude towards it, particularly as he witnesses an increasing number of racial injustices, some playing out in passing, some resulting in humiliation or even a little blood. Over time, Tony comes to see Dr. Shirley for more than his musical talents or the color of his skin, finding the soul within. The same can be said in reverse. The men bond over fried chicken (Dr. Shirley has never eaten it and immediately discovers he has a taste for it) and letter writing, with Dr. Shirley "helping" Tony to craft a more heartfelt letter to his wife that doesn't read like it was written by a man of extremely limited vocabulary. The film's chief draw comes from the gradual realizations of camaraderie and the slow build into friendship. The men bond through shared time and an evolving appreciation for one another, as men and as people in a world that isn't fair, a world where both face their own challenges, Dr. Shirley for his skin color and Tony, usually, for merely being in the doctor's company.

Mortensen is terrific as Tony. He nails not just the accent but also the cadence, living the character from the proclivities and preconceptions surrounding race in his life and capturing the finely honed evolution that gradually manifests throughout his time spent with Dr. Shirley. The performance is layered, with Mortensen rightly not sharing his inward evolution with any kind of outward grace, but one of the film's pleasures is watching the actor let his evolution be felt, even if it is isn't always seen or verbalized. Ali is equally wonderful in the role of Dr. Shirley, playing to the character's strengths: a command of self and language and talent but carrying weighty emotional baggage underneath his stout external posture. He's a truly wounded man in his center as he wrestles with the the world's inability to disconnect his color from his talents. One of the film's best scenes comes during an emotional release during a rainy nighttime setting when he tells Tony that white people listen to his music to feel "cultured" but immediately think of him in terms of his race once he stops playing. It puts him in a position of personal upheaval, unable to place himself in the world. "If I'm not black enough and if I'm not white enough, and if I'm not man enough, then tell me, Tony, what am I?," he asks. It's a powerful scene that certainly cemented Ali's rightful Oscar nomination for the role.

Green Book Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The digitally photographed Green Book arrives on Blu-ray with a well-rounded 1080p presentation. The picture produces fine detailing across the board, notably in the most common areas of interest such as complex skin textures, hair, and clothes, each one an example of precision yield that the Blu-ray reveals to the top of the format's capacity. Likewise, various 1960s cars and locations are impressive, particularly home interiors: Tony's more relatable dwelling or Dr. Shirley's more ornately decorated and naturally illuminated place of residence above a theater. There are ample environments of note throughout the film, including a range of hotels and motels from grungy and worn to more resplendently lavish. Barrooms, restaurants, and various places of performance all reveal their own unique character that the Blu-ray in turn reveals with exemplary textural command. Colors are well saturated, with the most notable being the car that carries the men on their tour through the South. Clothes offer precise coloring and various locations are likewise home to a nicely diverse and neutrally contrasted palette. Black levels are a strength and skin tones appear to be accurate. The image reveals no source or encode maladies beyond light noise that is kept in check, even in darker scenes.

Green Book Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

With one of the main characters being a musician, it's no surprise that music is a critical component to Green Book. Universal's Dolby Atmos soundtrack supports the film with grandeur and grace alike, delivering a first-rate listen that supports both the generalized sonic atmosphere and the thematically enriching music, often that played by Shirley and his fellow musicians in several concert stops. The film opens with some impressive musical beats flowing off the Copacabana stage. Terrific width, full and balanced surround implementation, and a quality low end depth give a significant verve and enjoyable, immersive presence to music right off the bat. Concert scenes yield wonderfully melodic details as the three instruments present with recognizable individual character and sonic signature while merging into symphonic bliss; the Atmos track effortlessly pulls the listener into any of the several venues along the way. Environmental effects are filling and nicely defined. The tack recreates several distinct locations: bustling city exteriors, a diner, a restaurant, a kitchen, a motel courtyard. Each one finds effortlessly engaging and perfectly balanced location recreation, easily drawing the listener into every stop during the journey. The overhead channels are never used to discrete effect but they do support music and environmental details, with special emphasis on a scene featuring driving rainfall in chapter 15 that offers the most obvious top layer implementation to be found. Dialogue is clear, center-focused, and well prioritized for the duration.

Green Book Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

For this Blu-ray release of Green Book, Universal has included a trio of featurettes. A DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase. The release ships with an embossed slipcover.

• Virtuoso Performances (1080p, 4:10): A quick look at the lead actors and the characters they portray.
• An Unforgettable Friendship (1080p, 5:09): More character details are revealed. The supplement also examines the referencing of historical documents, the role of music in the film, character growth, and more. Tony Lip's son is interviewed in the piece and it also briefly explores his contributions to the film.
• Going Beyond the Green Book (1080p, 4:20): This piece offers a brief history lesson on the real "Green Book" from which the film takes its title.

Green Book Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Green Book star Viggo Mortensen ran afoul of controversy when the actor used the "N" word during a Q&A session following a screening. The word was certainly not spoken in a hateful or derogatory manner but rather within the film's narrative and historical contexts during a discussion of how racism has evolved in today's society. Nevertheless, its utterance sparked outrage. Co-Star Mahershala Ali was understandably offended, but Mortensen was quick to apologize and Ali was quick to accept the apology. Hopefully, there's no long-term tainting of Mortensen's character or damage to the film's legacy, a film of purpose, profoundness, and, yes, quality entertainment value at the same time. It's a terrific film from every angle. It does not shy away from the harsh realities of the racial strife in its time while painting a picture of bonding between two very disparate individuals who both change for the better on their journey not just through the heart of the American South but through their own own hearts and souls. Universal's Blu-ray is terrific, featuring high end video and audio qualities. Supplements are scant, but the movie more than stands on its own. Very highly recommended.