Green Book is a road movie inspired by a true story (and a true friendship). In 1962, Tony “Lip” Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen), a bouncer for the Copacabana Nightclub in New York City, was temporarily out of work while the club underwent renovations. He was hired as a driver/bodyguard by a black concert pianist named Dr. Don Shirley (Oscar and Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor Mahershala Ali) who was touring the country, including Jim Crow’s Deep South. Shirley anticipated trouble; and he was right. Fortunately, his record company gave Tony a copy of the Green Book, which was the bible for black travelers in the Deep South during the Jim Crow era. The book listed the few towns in which black travelers could find safe lodgings, businesses, and gas stations, some of them owned and operated by blacks. The Green Book’s subtitle was: “For Location Without Aggravation.” “Aggravation” is putting it mildly. The encounters are sadly predictable: the bullying Southern cops in Mississippi; the fleabag “For Coloreds Only” motel in Louisville; the country club in Birmingham where Shirley is welcome to entertain, but not to eat in the dining room with the members. It’s hard to explain how the film works its magic, but a lot of it has to do with chemistry and commitment. Ali creates a unique character who’s a bit of a snob and a bit of a loner; and he allows us to see the circumstances that have driven him to be who he is, with his cultured pretensions and evening bottle of Cutty Sark. Meanwhile, Mortensen has gained so much weight that even his famous dimple has disappeared into one of his chins. He has a delicious time hamming it up as Tony, yet he never overplays his hand. He somehow manages to show us the kindness and street-smart wisdom beneath the posturing. Green Book won this year’s Academy Award for Best Movie. You’ll understand why when you come and see it for yourself. 2:10. Rated PG-13 for thematic content; language, including racial epithets; smoking; some violence, and suggestive material.