Peter Farrelly’s new Oscar nominated flick brings a raw, pure feeling of joy to its audiences.

Based on a true story, pianist Don Shirley embarks on a tour of the Deep South in the 1960s with Tony Vallelonga serving as his driver/bodyguard.

Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali – who both earned Oscar nominations for the film for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor respectively – portray two distinct opposites.

Vallelonga (Mortensen) is an Italian-American bouncer who loves hustling and spaghetti, and Shirley (Ali) is an African-American pianist who’s never eaten southern-fried chicken.

Their polar opposition gives them the perfect friendship. Don has no respect for Tony to begin with, and vice versa – they make an agreement that Tony is working for Don, and nothing more.

Ali’s portrayal of the elegant, albeit somewhat arrogant, pianist makes it hard for the audience to like him at first. However, as he learns to accept Tony’s ways and lets himself go, we grow to love him.

Tony’s respect for the talents of Don, and his realisation of the racism in the Deep South give the film a sharp curveball and a hard-hitting realisation for the audience, too.

Throughout the film, Don helps Tony write letters home to his wife, and this becomes the staple of their blossoming friendship. The letters are beautifully written and essentially save Tony’s marriage – the pair help each other in very different ways.

Every stop on the tour presents a different challenge for the duo, and they grow with each stop. Before they depart, Tony is given the Green Book, a guide to where is safe for black travellers to eat, drink and sleep. When Don strays from the book’s defined path, he faces trouble.

Having gone into the cinema being somewhat uneducated on what I was about to see, Green Book provides harsh realities amongst the beauty of hope and friendship, making it a winter warmer for gloomy days.

The acting is superb and the pace is perfect. The film has all the attributes of an award-winning picture.