Rating:
(5 stars out of 5) Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini Director: Peter Farrelly Writer: Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie (as Brian Currie) Awards: 5 Oscar nominations, Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama Run Time: 2h 10min Premiere Date: 16 November 2018 Country: USA Screening Location:SFX Cinema Maya, Chiang Mai, Thailand Purchase Movie Ticket:
Synopsis Green Book is a true-to-life movie about an unlikely friendship between a racist American-Italian WOP (swaggering thug) and an established Black concert pianist as they tour the deep south for a series of concert engagements in the 1960s when racial segregation was the norm.
Viggo Mortensen The last time I saw Viggo in a movie, he was a swash-buckling hero-who-would-be-king in Lord of the Rings. He was bigger than life!
Now, to my shock, he plays a fat-bellied middle-aged working-class driver-bodyguard who's mimicking Joe Pesce in a Good Fellas remake. If you just saw this film and didn't see Lord of the Rings, you simply cannot imagine him to be this sword-fighting warrior.
This reminds me of the four-month eating binge Robert de Niro had to go through to gain 60 lbs in the movie Raging Bull. Well, I don't really know if Viggo intentionally went through this transformation for the role, or if he really just got old and fat.
Characters in Play Mahershala Ali played Don Shirley, a cultured, refined and celebrated black concert pianist who hired Tony Lip, played by Viggo, to be his driver/bodyguard. They got off on a rocky start with their 2 contrasting worlds at odds. Tony was a racist and Don Shirley was black. Tony was vulgar and Don was prim-and-proper. Tony was a struggling working class in search of a job while Don was rich and established. Tony had a warm earthly grounding to him while Don had an aloof condescension of everything outside polite society. Pointed arguments were freely exchanged between the two.
But as the movie progressed, they were able to complement each other where the other was lacking. Tony ensured Don's safety and well-being against the racist South. Tony also illuminated for Don the real world. Don, in turn, helped Tony dissolve his racism. Don also helped Tony write elegant love letters to his wife. In the end, they realized they needed each other and that together, they can more readily face the challenges ahead.
Moments There were a few powerful moments in the film that left a lingering impression. One scene was when Don got out of the car in the heat of the argument with Tony and started walking as the rain poured down. He burst out of his cultured shell, to protest that he was not oblivious to the real-world around him. In his pain, he angrily outcried that whites do not and will never see him as one of their own despite his education, social status or celebrity - when he comes down the stage, he's just another black. But the blacks would neither accept Don to be their own because Don was 'too white'. He belonged nowhere - thus he locks himself up in his lonely tower.
Another moment was when Tony Lip said, "The world's full of lonely people afraid to make the first move."
Ending Thoughts Green Book is a touching film about an evolving friendship that transcends race and color. At the end of the day, it's all about character as the building block of true friendship. This is one very good film where the characters struggled for a triumphant win of the human spirit.
--- TheLoneRider
p.s. - Yes, it can be argued that the movie was formulaic, cliche-ish and predictable with the ending already visible a mile away. But I'll leave that for the cynics. The glass is half-full for me.
Dindo (Feb 1, 2019) I enjoyed this movie! The dynamic back & forth and backgrounds of the two main characters is very interesting...especially in an era where racial prejudice is at its height
IMPORTANT PLACES
Bus Station Train Station Chiang Mai International Airport Nong Buak Hard Park - free yoga classes daily
HOTEL
Arun Dara Villa - 7 exclusive rooms, 1 swimming pool for every room, grand opening
Nawa Sheeva Hotel - big rooms, high ceiling, salt-water pool, restaurant, cafe
Nawa Saraan Hotel - low density (4 spacious rooms), stone garden setting, Koi fish pond, Old City location
Arun Suite - 3 bedrooms in a 3-storie guesthouse within Old City, ideal for families
MOTORBIKE RENTAL
Tawan Bike - motorcycle rental | +66 91 635 2863 | Si Phum, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200
USEFUL INFORMATION
Chiang Mai FYI / Tips
crop-burning season in Chiang Mai is between late Feb to early April. But laws change everytime. This year, 2019, there is a 61-day ban on burning so the farmers started burning early. When my plane was approaching Chiang Mai on Jan 24, 2019, there was already a thick blanket of smog covering the entire city (and beyond). But within the city itself, you won't feel it (but that doesn't mean the air is healthy). To monitor air conditions in real time, refer to site: Chiang Mai Air Pollution: Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI)
hot season begins March and lasts until June
wet season begins July and lasts until September
best time to visit Chiang Mai is mid-September to mid-February - after the monsoon and before the burning
you have to try Khao Soi, this is north Thailand's culinary staple
the tourist area where most of the hotels, restaurants, ticket offices, tour operators are, is located in the Old City
to exchange your dollars to Thai Baht, the Super Rich Money Exchange give the best rates. There are many branches scattered around Chiang Mai
get a red cab (songthao) outside the train station for Baht 50 (instead of paying B100 if inside the train station) to Old City - if you haggle nicely enough...I did!
shared red taxi (songthao) - B30 standard fare plying all over Old City
for only B50/day, best to rent a bike to go around the Old City - it's a 2.5km2 with lots to discover
FREE daily yoga classes from 9:00am to 10:15am at Nong Buak Hard Park (southwest corner of Old City). Resident and passing-through teachers take turns conducting yoga classes.
Blues/Jazz Bars in Chiang Mai
North Gate Pub - at Chang Phueg Gate, great Tuesday jam session, Blues on Sundays by the 11pm band
Taphae East - 88 Thapae Rd. (just north of Night Bazaar). Fridays at 9:30pm by Chiang Mai Blues Band
Boy Blues Bar - at the Night Bazaar. Mondays at 9:30pm is open mic
Chiang Mai Cost Index
B60 Chiang beer
B250 1 hour drop-in yoga session
B200 one hour Thai body massage at WAYA Massage(highly recommended)
B50 noodle soup with meat
B50 coffee
B40 pad thai
B30/kilo wash-only laundry
B50/kilo wash+iron laundry
B100-150 dorm bed/night
B250 fan room/night
B30 internet cafe/hour
B170-190 Movies Sat-Sun and public holidays
B130-150 Movies weekdays
B100 Movies Wednesdays (movie discount day)
B750 1/2 day Thai cooking lessons
B900-1000 1 full day Thai cooking lessons
B400 Muay Thai boxing ticket
B2500 starting room rate at the luxury hotel, Nawa Sheeva(highly recommended)
Transportation
B450 bus, Chiang Mai to Bangkok
B160-180 bus, Chiang Mai to Pai
B1250 bus, Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang
B1650 slow boat, Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang
B210 bus, Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai, 3-4 hours
B360 Green VIP bus, Chiang Mai to Mae Sai (Thai border town for visa run to Tachileik, Myanmar)
B50 bicycle rental, 24 hours
B200 motorbike rental, 24 hours
B273 #51 sleeping train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai
B638 #7 a/c train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai
B50 red taxi fare from point to point
B100 red taxi fare from train terminal to city
Tours
B2000 full day elephant sanctuary
B750 Chiang Rai one-day tour
B1500 mountain biking scenic ride
How to Get to Chiang Mai from Bangkok by Train from Bang Sue Train Station
10:22pm - #51 Train, arrive Chiang Mai 12:10pm, sleeper, 3rd class B270 (non sleeper), 2nd class B438, B728 upper deck, B798 lower deck
Bus from Loei to Chiang Mai
From Loei town center, take a tuk-tuk ride to the bus station, B30. There is only one bus station.
As of June 28, 2020 (still on Covid schedule), there are only 3 night trips: 8:30pm, 9:30pm and 12 midnight. 9 hours, B470.
The bus makes the following stops at the following times from a 9pm Loei departure: Phu Ruea (9:50pm), Phitsanulok (12:40am), Uttradit (2:20am), Lampang (4:35am)
Final bus stop is at the Red Bus Arcade, Chiang Mai, 9 hour-trip, arriving 6am (from 9pm Loei departure).
Take a red songthaew to Old City, B50. They'll try to charge you B100, but they'll take B50 (just assure the driver you won't tell the other passengers).
arrive early - in case there is a snag (visa snag, documentation snag, transport ticket snag, etc.), you will have ample time to troubleshoot the problem if you arrive early (to the airport, to the bus terminal, etc.)
put detailed itinerary on the Calendar apps of your smart-phone according to timelines - this is where you do all your thinking and planning. Once written down, you don't have to think anymore while you are on the journey...you just follow the steps. This frees your mind for something else that might happen while you are already en route
avoiding scams - as a general rule, I ignore the touts or anyone I don't know who call out to me. The calling comes in many forms - "Hi! Where are you from?", "Excuse me! Excuse me!", "Where are you going?". I don't look them in the eye and I remain non-verbal with them. If you reply to them, you just gave them an 'in' to hound you. In order not to look rude, I smile and wave the 'not interested' hand to them, without looking at them.
power bank - hand-carry your power bank. Do not check it in. You can be called in when you are already inside the plane to go all the way to the loading dock so you can personally remove the power bank...and chances are, you'll have to surrender it to them. And you might delay the plane departure!
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IMPORTANT PLACES
Bus Station
Train Station
Chiang Mai International Airport
Nong Buak Hard Park - free yoga classes daily
HOTEL
RESTAURANT
WELLNESS
MOTORBIKE RENTAL
