The Green Mile
Paul Edgecomb didn't believe in miracles. Until the day he met one.
Miracles happen in unexpected places, even in the death-row cellblock at Cold Mountain Penitentiary. There John Coffey, a gentle giant of a prisoner with supernatural powers, brings a sense of spirit and humanity to his guards and fellow inmates.
Tom Hanks leads a stellar ensemble (including Michael Clarke Duncan as Coffey) in this emotional, uplifting story of guards and captives; husbands and wives; prisoners and a remarkable mouse named Mr. Jingles; and, on another level, of a moviemaker and his source. That filmmaker is Frank Darabont, who returns after his 1994 directorial debut The Shawshank Redemption to adapt another tale by Stephen King into stirring, crowd-pleasing entertainment nominated for 4 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Member Reviews
Wonderful Film Journey - crazyboutmovies
This movie is a long sit, but it is worth the effort. While it is not quite as satisfying as "The Shawshank Redemption", it is a wonderful story and film in its own right.
Tom Hanks delivers a good performance as Paul Edgecomb, the sympathetic prison guard in death row. But it is Michael Clarke Duncan who steals the show as the inmate Coffey.
If you haven't seen the film, you can be sure that everything that happens in the film does so for a reason.
I never realized what a great storyteller Stephen King is. Watching this film as well as "The Shawshank Redemption" made me want to explore more of his fiction.
Other than a single scene of lovemaking between a married couple, this film would be an ideal one for viewing and discussing with your teenage children.Powerful, funny, mystical and moving, it's a long walk, but every moment is worth the effort. - moviemonger
The Green Mile is a film about many diverse topics, but fundamentally it is about the harm humans inflict on other members of their own species. Like I said, the movie touches upon many topics, and each of them is worthy of comment. It illustrates the true nature of the death penalty, showing how cruel and barbaric it is as well as showing how innocent people can easily be put in positions where they are executed unjustly. The film is powerful and emotive, thanks to brilliant performances by a great cast. All in all, this film is a resounding success. All the elements are extremely well crafted and integrated; however, I believe that the main reason that this film is as good is because it is sincere. There is no sugar-coating, no melodrama. The film is sincere, as much through script as through the direction. It's a film that's both warm-hearted and heart-breaking; both miraculous and tragic; both happy and sad. The film plays the emotions without manipulating them, and thus moves is without frustrating us. It's a precarious balance, but The Green Mile holds this equilibrum in every frame. It is the work of a master who not only masters the images, but also masters the feelings. And, just like in Shawshank, in The Green Mile, it shows. This film has just entered my list of favorites. The film which seems to garner the most fan praise, though, is The Shawshank Redemption. Because of this, die-hard Stephen King fans and movie buffs have been waiting for The Green Mile, in some respects a sequel to Shawshank to be released. The Green Mile, like Shawshank, revolves around a prison, is based on a King novel, and features the same director, Frank Darabont. Good enough to be Shawshank II? No But don't let that worry you too much: The Green Mile is still leagues ahead of most other Hollywood dramathons.It's A Very Good Movie, But Something Just Doesn't Quite Work For Me - revsdd
This is a movie on the edge of greatness. There's a great story here (actually a number of stories woven together into a whole.) There are some fantastic performances. Tom Hanks was good as always, although I didn't think he quite lived up to his Oscar winning performances in "Forrest Gump" or "Philadelphia." Michael Clarke Duncan perfectly captured the character of the mysterious John Coffey. Was he a child murderer or not? That question will be answered in the movie. But there are still more questions about him that are left to the viewers' imagination. Is he a human with special healing powers or is he some sort of supernatural being? We don't know. But stealing the show I thought was Doug Hutchison as the sadistic prison guard Percy Wetmore. He fits the (admittedly unfair) stereotype of a prison guard: a pathetic little loser who makes himself feel like a man by abusing inmates. Hutchison was excellent.
So if the story and performances are great, why is the movie only on the edge of greatness? It's hard to pinpoint, but something here just didn't quite work as well as it should. I found my attention wandering from time to time. It's a very long movie (well over three hours) but it wasn't really the length. There was perhaps too much extraneous detail that obscured the main focus of the movie, which should have remained on Coffey throughout. The setting of the movie as a flashback was also distracting; beginning and ending this in the nursing home was totally unnecessary. For whatever reason, this just didn't quite make the grade to a great movie. Very good, but not quite great, although it's worth noting that Stephen King was apparently very pleased with this adaptation of his book. (It also provides a good primer in the use of an electric chair, and some graphic depictions of the results of its use.)
Member Reviews
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Wonderful Film Journey - crazyboutmovies
This movie is a long sit, but it is worth the effort. While it is not quite as satisfying as "The Shawshank Redemption", it is a wonderful story and film in its own right.
Tom Hanks delivers a good performance as Paul Edgecomb, the sympathetic prison ...Powerful, funny, mystical and moving, it's a long walk, but every moment is worth the effort. - moviemonger
The Green Mile is a film about many diverse topics, but fundamentally it is about the harm humans inflict on other members of their own species. Like I said, the movie touches upon many topics, and each of them is worthy of comment. It illustrates the true ...It's A Very Good Movie, But Something Just Doesn't Quite Work For Me - revsdd
This is a movie on the edge of greatness. There's a great story here (actually a number of stories woven together into a whole.) There are some fantastic performances. Tom Hanks was good as always, although I didn't think he quite lived up to his Oscar winning ...