“Green Book” going earlier in limited release off awards season heat

The critical response to Universal/DreamWorks/Participant Media’s Green Book has been so ecstatic following the film’s play at fall festivals such as Toronto and London, that the studio is now launching the Peter Farrelly-directed drama on Nov. 16 in limited release in roughly 20 markets before breaking wide on Nov. 21, the day before Thanksgiving.

The movie, which many have compared to 1990 Oscar best picture winner Driving Miss Daisy, follows the true story of Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen), a working class bouncer, who after being temporarily out of work, takes a job as the chauffeur for pianist Don Shirley (Oscar winner Mahershala Ali). Shirley is embarking on an ambitious tour in a 1960s divided South, and needs someone like Tony for protection. The two couldn’t be more different: Shirley, a sophisticated, cultured and educated man, and Tony Lip who gotten by on his wits and his appetite. However, the two form a bond, and learn from each other during their travels.

Originally, Green Book was set to go wide, all in, on Nov. 21.

Green Book won the Grosch People’s Choice Award at TIFF, which is the fest’s top prize and an Oscar best picture bellwether.

Source: deadline.com