Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Actor (Viggo Mortenson)
Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali)
Best Original Screenplay
Best Film Editing
No Oscar season is complete without backlash, and the 2019 Best Picture lineup appears to be particularly strong in this department. Often this can impact a movie’s chances of winning Best Picture pretty significantly, and it is unlikely that Green Book will be any exception.
For a viewer going in without any background, the fact that this attracted any controversy at all might seem surprising. It’s a feel-good movie that deals with serious issues, displays two very strong performances by two incredible actors, and is overall a well-constructed, technically engaging piece of art. But Green Book has racked up its own string of misguided slip-ups, ranging from the lead actor Viggo Mortensen using the N-word in a recent interview to the film’s questionable accuracy in depicting the true events as they happened.
But where Green Book is most noticeably lacking is in its prioritising of Tony Lip’s story over Dr Don Shirley’s. The latter obviously had a much more interesting and important journey, so why do we spend so much more time with the former?
The answer is simple – Tony is the one we are expected to identify with. For a story that centres so much on institutionalised racism in the Deep South and the experiences of a black man trying to keep his dignity in the face of bitter resentment, we spend a lot of time safely looking in from the perspective of a comedically ignorant Italian-American man. As a result it is clear that this film isn’t really interested in challenging its white audiences, but simply wants to give them an easy window into what could have been a more intense story. This isn’t necessarily a terrible thing – it just isn’t a particularly original perspective.
However, focusing solely on the controversy that has sprung up would be a disservice to the talented cast and creative minds behind Green Book. Mahershala Ali in particular delivers a standout performance as the quietly dignified concert pianist Dr Shirley, playing the straight guy in what is essentially a buddy movie. He and Mortenson bounce off each other with ease, each joke landing with impeccable timing.
The one time Dr Shirley’s restraints come loose happens right after he is casually accused of not acting “black” enough. Here, Ali convincingly carries a monologue that could have easily been overplayed, lamenting the rejection by both white and black communities for not completely conforming to the standards of either. In a movie that often plays it quite safe when it comes to these issues, this moment shines by simply letting Dr Shirley express himself honestly without Tony butting in with a tension-diffusing joke.
So while Green Book’s chances at the Oscars this year might not look great, it is still worthwhile if you’re up for an easy film that doesn’t leave you feeling beaten down and worn out. A combination of smart editing and warm performances allow it to flourish, but whether or not these are enough to make up for its sour notes will vary from person to person.
