Green Book
A working-class Italian-American bouncer becomes the driver for an African-American classical pianist on a tour of venues through the 1960s American South.
Directed by Peter Farrelly · Biography · Comedy · Drama · 130 min · 2018
Trailer
Director
Peter Farrelly
Writer
Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie, Peter Farrelly
Studio
Participant Media{{cite web / url=https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/green-book-review-1202937442/ / title=Film Review: 'Green Book' / work=Variety / date=September 11, 2018 / first=Peter / last= Debruge / access-date=January 5, 2019 / DreamWorks Pictures / Innisfree Pictures / Cinetic Media
Release
16 Nov 2018
Runtime
130 min
Genres
Biography, Comedy, Drama
Full Plot
In 1962, tough bouncer Frank "Tony Lip" Vallelonga searches for work while his nightclub is closed for renovations. The most promising offer turns out to be the driver for African-American classical pianist Don Shirley for a concert tour into the Deep South states. Although hardly enthused at working for a Black man, Tony accepts the job and they begin their trek armed with "The Negro Motorist Green Book," a guide for safe travel through America's racial segregation. The snobbishly erudite pianist and the crudely practical bouncer can barely get along with their clashing attitudes to life and ideals. However, as the disparate pair witness and endure America's appalling injustices on the road, they find a newfound respect for each other's talents and start to face them together. In doing so, they nurture an understanding and a friendship that would change both their lives.
Cast & Characters
Tony Lip
Viggo Mortensen
Don Shirley
Mahershala Ali
Dolores Venere, Tony's wife
Linda Cardellini
Johnny Venere, Dolores' brother
Sebastian Maniscalco
Oleg Malacovich, Shirley's cellist
Dimiter D. Marinov
George Dyer, Shirley's bassist
Mike Hatton
Bobby Rydell, Copa Singer
Von Lewis
Graham Kindell, country club manager
Brian Stepanek
Gio Loscudo
Joseph Cortese
Amit, Don's assistant
Iqbal Theba
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $23.0M, Green Book has grossed $321.8M worldwide — about 14.0x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Viggo Mortensen appears in 3 films in our catalog, including The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
Viggo Mortensen began negotiations to star in the film in May 2017 and was required to gain 40–50 pounds (18–23 kg) for the role.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Critical Assessment
Green Book holds 8.2/10 on IMDb (682,124 votes), 77% on Rotten Tomatoes, 69/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of August 3, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.2/10 on IMDb (682,124 votes), 77% on Rotten Tomatoes, 69/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Green Book's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Green Book holds a 77% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is Green Book's IMDb rating?+
Green Book has a 8.2/10 rating on IMDb from 682,124 votes.
What is Green Book's Metacritic score?+
Green Book has a Metascore of 69/100 on Metacritic.
Is Green Book good? What are critics saying?+
Green Book holds 8.2/10 on IMDb (682,124 votes), 77% on Rotten Tomatoes, 69/100 on Metacritic.
How long is Green Book?+
Green Book has a runtime of 130 min.
Who directed Green Book?+
Green Book was directed by Peter Farrelly.
Where can I watch Green Book?+
Green Book is available to stream, rent, or buy on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling, Rakuten TV, Sky Store, BFI Player.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public reaction to the movie "Green Book" is largely positive. Many reviewers praised its heartwarming story, chemistry between leads Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali, and humor, with some criticizing its oversimplification of racial issues. Some also mentioned that the film's message was about personal growth and transformation rather than a simplistic portrayal of racism.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Sadly, didn't end racism, but still very cute. _Final rating:★★★ - I liked it. Would personally recommend you give it a go._
Gimly · 6/10If you enjoy reading my Spoiler-Free reviews, please follow my blog :) Living in Portugal has a ton of pros, but regarding movies, it lacks serious advantages. The price of admission is expensive, there is only one film theater in my city (every time I want to watch a movie on IM…
Manuel São Bento · 10/10"Frequently, when someone tries to portray the overwhelming decade of the 1960s, they usually misuse the concept of discrimination towards African Americans, which is accurate to describe this social issue. Nevertheless, the way Peter Farrelly and staff go into detail about this…
The Peruvian Post · 9/10***A white streetwise bouncer and an articulate black pianist tour the Deep South in 1962*** A tough, working class Italian New Yawker (Viggo Mortensen) is forced to take a gig driving a refined African-American concert pianist (Mahershala Ali) through the Midwest and Deep South…
Wuchak · 9/10This movie has a weak understanding of not only the truth in the relationship between the two characters based on actual people, but simplifies the subject of race relations. It was a terrible choice for best picture.
After a superb opening scene we get a heartwarming feel-good film that plays it a little too safe, but the chemistry between the two leads and some humor make ‘Green Book’ funny and highly enjoyable. 8/10
AstroNoud · 8/10I guess that this made it to the Academy Awards for saying something that has been said a thousand times before. But because it was made in 2018 and everyone below 30 and everyone in Hollywood pretends that cinema didn't exist until 2016 it had high praise. The acting is not bad,…
GenerationofSwine · 1/10
From the trailer's comments
“The world is full of lonely people that are afraid to make the first move”
@batubatucp · 9104 likesPeople saying this movie is about racism are missing the bigger picture. The movie was about two men coming from completely different worlds, but both men bonding and changing each other's lives for the better. There's a reason both men remained close friends for the next 51 year…
@michaelseidl5240 · 5372 likes"genuis is not enough, it takes courage to change people's hearts"
@huydang4605 · 3337 likes“You never win with violence. You only win when you maintain your dignity” -Don Shirley
@michaelworley7168 · 724 likes"You will only win when you maintain your dignity."
@kevinmsft · 2668 likes"So if I'm not black enough and I'm not white enough, then tell me exactly - what am I?" I felt that
@nokutendazhou5501 · 6446 likesViggo embodies every character to the point that you almost forget he was the king of Gondor.
@bluebell8557 · 2896 likesInitially, I had watched Green Book by accident. My friend and I had went to the cinema to watch Glass, but had misread the time it was shown and had missed the last screening. So, we started to look at what else was being shown, and came across Green Book. He wasn't really sure,…
@thomasshelby8782 · 2691 likes
