In the movie Green Book, when Frank Anthony Vallelonga, aka Tony Lip (Oscar nominee Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic, Eastern Promises), a New York City bouncer from an Italian-American neighborhood in The Bronx, is hired to drive and protect Dr. Don Shirley (Oscar winner Mahershala Ali, Moonlight), a world-class Black pianist, on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South, they must rely on The Green Book — a travel guide to safe lodging, dining and business options for Negros during the era of segregation and Jim Crow laws — to steer them to places where Shirley will not be refused service, humiliated, or threatened with violence.
Set against the backdrop of a country grappling with the valor and volatility of the Civil Rights Movement, two men are confronted with racism and danger and are comforted by generosity, kindness and their own unique senses of humor. Together, they challenge long-held assumptions, push past their seemingly insurmountable differences, and embrace their shared humanity.
The movie was written and directed by Peter Farrelly, half of the directing duo The Farrelly Bros., most famous for There’s Something About Mary and Dumb & Dumber.
Check out photos from Green Book:
