VINCE'S MOVIE REVIEWS |
 The most unexpected miracles happen in the most unlikely of places. |
When you feel intense love or hate for the characters of a movie, you forget that the people you see on the screen are only actors, performing a script written so well, that you totally immerse yourself in the feature, that stares back at you from that huge white eye in front of you. Why are the actors so good? Well, probably because of the excellent script that they are enacting on the screen.
Stephen King films that seem to excel on the silver screen, and even on television, are the ones that last at least two and half to three hours. Most of his horror novels that are translated to the visual are usually too short to really enthrall us like the books they are adapted from. On the other hand his most successful film presentations are those that are longer and spend more time on the character development. Just look at DOLORES CLAIBORNE and THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION. They were highly successful King adaptations. So the same can be said for THE GREEN MILE a film that deserves to receive quite a few Academy Award(c) nominations.
THE GREEN MILE spends the majority of the first hour of this three hour movie just to introduce us to the characters and to who and what they are. This deliberate introduction time really helps us to know the players and to feel for them. We meet the guards and their death row prisoners on the green mile as their death row is called because the floor is green.
As the story progresses we see that sometimes the prisoners are not the only vile people out there. It was great to see a movie about death row and their occupants that was not the usual Hollywood version of a place where men wait to die for crimes committed. THE GREEN MILE makes the prisoners and guards like in real life. Interestingly enough, the story, which is obviously focusing on two groups of men, has a symmetry about it. Here we have a group of guards who are all decent law abiding men except for one, who is a vile, disgusting, self serving ass. On the prisoner's side we have men who seem to be good and repenting people who have come to accept their fates and respect the men who watch over them, except for one who is a vile, disgusting, self serving maniac with no regard for human life or himself. What happens to all these men, of course, is the story. What they discover together is the fantasy. One man is more than he seems, he is an elemental, a force of nature, so docile and caring that it seems strange to see him in this huge hulking almost eight foot frame. John Coffey as played by Michael Duncan is a huge muscled man with a kind and simple nature, that is on death row for the murder of two litttle girls. He has a secret within him that he can not hide forever.
Writing about this movie is so difficult because I just don't seem to know where to begin praising it. I sat for three fleeting hours totally enthralled at what I saw. I sat at the edge of my seat as I discovered Coffey's secret and watched what miracles this "dead man" could perform. I sat for ten minutes in absolute horror as I watched an electrocution gone wrong. I smiled as I watched Mr. Jingles, a small but incredibly brave mouse perform small stunts in defiance of the larger humans. I sat and actually felt the love these men had for that brave little mouse. I sat and watched, as a tear went down my cheek, at the love a man had for a dying wife. I sat and listened to the sniffles behind me, join my own at what was the inevitable fate of John Coffey. When I thought it was over I sat and watched at what fate had in store for two of these characters. It is so difficult not to say too much because I want you to discover for yourselves the story as it unfolds.
The story begins in the present with an old man who tells a story about his past life. The time moves back to 1935 when Tom Hanks, a prison guard by the name of Paul Edgecomb is in charge of the green mile. Here with his fellow guards he maintains an orderly death's row. Eveything is status quo until John Coffy is brought into their lives. Paul Edgecomb's life becomes further complicated by a fellow guard, Percy Wetmore(Doug Hutchison), a small weasel like man who has a total disregard for the other guards and a hatred for the prisoners that borders on criminal. The complications become worse with the arrival of killer, William "Wild Bill" Wharton, insanely played by Sam Rockwell. In the mix are inmates Arlen Bitterbuck(Graham Greene), Eduard Delacroix(Michael Jeter) and the talented Mr. Jingles. Their stories lead them on journey's of self discovery, for some death and for some life as they never expected it to be. We will see how their lives effect those around them.
This is a film that you should not take your young children to see. Older children will enjoy it but be warned that the film does contain one of the most gruesome death scenes that has been put on the screen. It absolutely chilled everyone at the viewing and if you have ever had doubts about capital punishment, this will only re-enforce that doubt. Remember, though, that this film is not just about death, but it is, about the magic of life and it's consequences.
This film has no great special effects, glitzy camera work or special editing but if you miss this film, you will miss a beautiful cinematic work. One of the best, if not, the best film this year. THE GREEN MILE is a journey that we all take as we venture through life, from birth to that day of the inevitable end. Stephen King has given us a film that will survive the test of time to become a film classic.
Starring: Tom Hanks , James Cromwell , Bonnie Hunt , Michael Clarke Duncan, David Morse, Michael Jeter, Graham Greene, Doug Hutchison, Directed by Frank Darabont Written by Stephen King & Frank Darabont Produced by Frank Darabont & David Valdes Distributed by Warner Brothers Rating USA... Rated R for violence, language and some sex-related material. Rating Canada... AA for violence and language. Not suitable for children Read Another Review Of This Film Read Still Another Review Of This Film |
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vjm@metrocity.com
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