The Green Mile Review
by Brandon Herring (horrormvfn AT aol DOT com)December 23rd, 1999
Rating: * * * * out of * * * *
Rated: R for violence, language, and some sexual content.
Running Time: 188 minutes.
Starring: Tom Hanks, David Morse, Bonnie Hunt, Michael Clarke Duncan, James Cromwell, Michael Jeter, Graham Greene, Doug Hutchison, Sam Rockwell, Barry Pepper, Jeffrey DeMunn, Patricia Clarkson.
Stephen King has always made good horror movies (The Shining, Misery, Cujo) but one might cringe at the fact of a drama coming from the hands of Stephen King. Remember, however Stephen King also brought us great films such as "Stand By Me" which became one of the best-known 'buddy flick', and "The Shawshank Redemption" both movies being spectacular in every way and surprising people by knowing that the horror master himself Stephen King wrote both of those books. Now in 1999 we get yet another Stephen King masterpiece this one being better than the ones mentioned above, it is strikingly original, emotional, powerful and so absorbing that by the end we are left in a state that we sit in our seat too amazed to move.
Tom Hanks plays Paul Edgecomb a guard at a prison in Louisiana. He works with inmates on death row who have committed crimes and soon go to the Electric chair. A new inmate comes aboard by the name of John Coffey (Like the drink only spellt different) who is accused of killing two little girls. John Coffey however even though the size of him (played by Michael Duncan "Armageddon's Bear") John Coffey is a nice man. Paul Edgecomb starts to find out that maybe John didn't kill those little girls. Then John does the most amazing thing ever and Paul realizes that what they are dealing with here is a miracle...on The Green Mile (as in the prison walk). Now Paul must try and prove that John did not kill those little girls...and get him off death row before he must be killed.
The best thing about this whole movie is the performance by Michael Duncan...who gives in my opinion the best performance of the year. In fact he might even give the best performance of all time with his southern accent...and sweet side Michael Duncan is truly brilliant. Tom Hanks (who never gives a bad performance) yet again delivers an Oscar Worthy performance in this three hour+ film that seems to go by in no time. Surprisingly enough with such a dramatic atmosphere and story the movie also has a big amount of comedy and witty dialogue that doesn't seem beligerant or unnecessary.
The supporting performances by Michael Jeter who plays an inmate with a cute little mouse named Mr. Jingles is also truly a great actor who gives a great performance as does David Morse, Bonnie Hunt, James Cromwell and Patricia Clarkson who all give believeable and powerhouse performances. The screenplay by Frank Darabont who also directed the film is well-crafted and stays very close to the book. The whole movie moved me in a way no other movie has and has it's special magic like this years earlier masterpiece "The Sixth Sense" which had it's own substance to take the viewer by the hand and leads then through an amazing experience that after it is over they are left in their chair unable to move.
In other words "The Green Mile" finds it's own path and makes it's own miracles. It's never slow and it's never too dramatic. The best thing about the film is that you yourself become a character and you yourself are there watching what is happened instead of watching it as a movie. Movies that do this are always magical and as the tagline for the film goes "Miracles are found in the most unexpected places" and therefore "The Green Mile" is a miracle all of it's own.
Reviewed by Brandon Herring December 18, 1999.
Brandon Herring
Http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/movie/3160/moviereviewheaven.html
"He Came Home"- Halloween
"I don't know if anyone can stop him!"- H4
"Im so scared!"- Blair Witch
" "- Silent Bob
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
