The Miracle Mile
Hanks Gives It All On The Green Mile

By the time The Green Mile concluded, my only thought was, "Wow!" The movie, based on a series of novelettes by Stephen King, is as flawless an adaptation of a printed work as I've ever seen. It has it all: great cast, great story, and some truly riveting moments. It also clocks in at a whopping three hours.

Someone once said, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Well, that's the way that I feel about the movies. Sure, sometimes they have subtitles, sometimes they are a bit avant garde, and sometimes they take three hours. But if you love movies, really love them, you won't mind the occasional inconvenience to get to something good.

The Green Mile tells the story of Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks), a prison guard during the Depression in the '30s. Edgecomb and his fellow guards watch over death row on E block, affectionately know as the green mile because of the colored tile on the floor. The story centers on a new inmate to E block, a giant man named John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan) who is to be executed for the murder of two little girls.

What Edgecomb quickly discovers in this humble giant is a simple goodness that belies the crimes of which he has been accused. But Edgecomb has his hands full dealing with another new arrival, a multiple killer named "Wild Bill" Wharton (Sam Rockwell), and one of his own guards, Percy Wetmore (Doug Hutchison). Percy is more trouble than some of the men behind bars, and the catalyst for some of the horrible things that happen on E block.

Director Frank Darabont (who also directed another Stephen King prison film, The Shawshank Redemption) doesn't shy away from the horrors of death row. There is violence between the inmates or the guards, but the most stunning horror is saved for the scenes in the electric chair. Darabont is equally adept at handling the beauty of the film, like the show stealing mouse that befriends one of the inmates.

Hanks is absolutely brilliant in this film, but that shouldn't be a surprise for anyone. His days of making B-movies are over. Sure, not everything he touches is gold, but he has a knack for picking some memorable roles that continue to get him recognized. If he doesn't get a nomination for The Green Mile, I'll be shocked.

The one to watch, however, is Duncan. His portrayal of Coffey is so well done it took my breath away. The man is physically intimidating with his huge frame and bulging muscles. When he speaks, however, there is a calm, clear voice, and you hang on every word. It is in his quietness that Duncan makes Coffey a hero.

The Green Mile may not be for everybody. First off, it's a prison picture, which is sure to scare off some. Second, it's based on a Stephen King work, which may scare off a lot more. (And with good reason. King has a mediocre track record in the film genre.) But even more so, some people will refuse to sit through what is -- admittedly -- a slow-paced, three hour movie.

Does that mean the movie is bad? No, not hardly. The Green Mile is one of the best movies I've seen this year. It does an excellent job of adapting King's original work. Hanks and the entire ensemble cast bring the characters to life. Seeing this film gave me hope. Hollywood is still capable of making exceptional adaptations given the right script and the proper director.

MY RATING: 9 out of 10.

RATED:
RUN TIME: 180 min.

The Miracle Mile Hanks Gives It All On The Green Mile

The Miracle Mile
Hanks Gives It All On The Green Mile