The Green Mile [MA]

Many people don’t believe in miracles, least of all Paul Edgecomb and the patrolling officers in the death-row cellblock of Cold Mountain Penitentiary, the Green Mile, as they call it. But that changes when John Coffey, a gentle giant of a prisoner blessed with supernatural powers comes to the Green Mile. As a shy and silent inmate, John just sits and observes, but his presence has a noticeable effect on the inhabitants of the cellblock. And when the miracles of his abilities are revealed, Paul and his troupe are faced with a problem: do they face judgement from their superiors by letting him go or judgement from God by letting him die? 

Writer/director Frank Darabont returns from The Shawshank Redemption to adapt another Stephen King prison story for the screen. The Green Mile boasts a most beautiful story set against a bleak and lifeless setting, with memorable characters, and beautiful cinematography. You know a film is worth its salt when the three-hour duration seems like no time at all. 

Many people don’t believe in miracles, least of all Paul Edgecomb and the patrolling officers in the death-row cellblock of Cold Mountain Penitentiary, the Green Mile, as they call it. But that changes when John Coffey, a gentle giant of a prisoner blessed with supernatural powers comes to the Green Mile. As a shy and silent inmate, John just sits and observes, but his presence has a noticeable effect on the inhabitants of the cellblock. And when the miracles of his abilities are revealed, Paul and his troupe are faced with a problem: do they face judgement from their superiors by letting him go or judgement from God by letting him die? 

Whilst the vibe of the movie is remarkably similar to The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile sits in a league of its own for a number of reasons. We’ve got this wonderful story that sits somehow comfortably between the realms of drama and fantasy. You seriously would not expect such a beautifully crafted drama to come from a story about a death-row inmate with supernatural powers, but it works over gloriously in this film. 

The cast goes from strength to strength in terms of characters and performances. Between Tom Hank’s soothing and authoritative Paul Edgecome to Michael Clarke Duncan’s shy and teary John Coffey to Sam Rockwell’s brutal and psychotic ‘Wild Bill’ Wharton, your head’s going a hundred miles a minute with so many characters to love and hate. This right here is what makes the time fly, you don’t notice the three-hour running time at all I’m telling you. 

It’s the mark of a great film when it can establish and incite such a montage of feelings and responses from its audience and within this movie I went through feelings of happiness, empathy, loathing, heartbreak, suspense, anxiety, justification, and everything in between. Seriously, this film is remarkable. 

Starring Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan, David Morse, Bonnie hunt, James Cromwell, Michael Jeter, Graham Greene, Doug Hutchison, Sam Rockwell, Patricia Clarkson, Dabbs Greer, and Harry Dean Stanton, The Green Mile is a beautiful film that’s filled with drama, the supernatural, comedy, action, suspense, heartbreak, and miracles. It’s truly something special, a most beautiful and emotionally stimulating movie. I adored it!