"Green Book"

In Jim Burke’s “Green Book,” Tony Lip has a reputation for being able to deal with trouble as a nightclub bouncer in New York. When Dr. Don Shirley, an amazing world-renowned pianist, decides he wants to tour in the Deep South during a time where racial injustice still occurs daily without consequence, he chooses Tony to be his driver.

The movie consists of many small, funny and often very entertaining scenes. The interaction between the well-spoken and well-mannered Dr. Don Shirley and the very crude and old fashioned Italian Tony Lip are very comical by nature. Both of these characters learn from one another as their journey of three months in the Deep South continues.

These scenes vary in their comedy and are anything from Tony forcing the doctor to eat Kentucky fried chicken to the doctor shaming Tony for stealing a rock that he “found on the ground.” The two become closer to one another as Tony is forced to stick up for his suppressed friend.

The movie also goes in depth regarding the doctor’s struggles regarding him not fitting in with any race. He is torn internally because he talks like a highly educated man and is shunned by his race and while he is regarded with respect by the whites, he is treated far from equal.

Tony saves the doctors life with a simple bluff of a gun during the very first night in the south. The doctor, in turn, teaches Tony how to write poetry for his wife which leaves all of his aunts and sisters in law back at home terribly jealous.

Overall, the movie was very heartwarming with the combination of the hilarious scenes between Tony and the doctor and the heartwarming ending, which you will have to see for yourself.

Four and a half stars