Troy Brinkel ‘20, Sports Editor
When I first saw ads for a new movie called The Green Book, I was interested immediately when looking at the time period and topics it touched upon. I have always been very intrigued with history, especially America in the 1960s and the events that happened during that period. Thus, I had high hopes when going into the movie, and I have to say I wasn’t disappointed. The movie came out on Thanksgiving, making it a big hit over the holiday.
The movie involves a deep relationship between the two protagonists: Tony Vallelonga, a nightclub security guard, and Don Shirley, a famous Pianist going on tour around the country. Shirley hires Vallelonga to be his driver and security as they tour the country together and the friendship they share begins to develop. At the beginning of the journey, the two share awkward moments as Shirley finds himself uncomfortable being a black man and touring in the south. Vallelonga begins to accept the white culture Shirley lives with as they battle racist stereotypes in the south.
What really makes this movie interesting is the slight comedy that comes with it. The majority of the movie has a serious tone as the topic of Civil Rights brings a serious attitude with it. However, The Green Book has an enjoyable amount of sarcasm that comes along, especially in the development of Shirley and Vallelonga’s friendship. The trip eventually reaches a climax when Vallelonga and Shirley get arrested and are forced to shorten the tour.
I would highly recommend seeing this movie; however, a younger crowd would not be interested in the movie. The movie has lots of small humor that a younger person wouldn’t understand, thus they would find it boring. The Green Book touches upon a difficult topic while implementing humor throughout. All together, I would say the movie is a 7.5/10 and a recommend seeing.
Photo courtesy of imbd
Lyon Life 