The Green Mile

Stephen King is a genius. Frank Darabont is a genius. And whenever these two get together a perfect work of art comes to life that remains indelibly in the souls of those who see it. Similarly to The Shawshank Redemption, the story takes place in prison, more precisely in The Green Mile where those who were sentenced to death await execution. At the beginning of the story we meet old Paul Edgecombe who remembers the days of his youth and one of the prisoners. A person who had a wonderful gift. John Coffey (like coffee but spelled differently). And we become witnesses to one of the most touching story of all times. (19/06/2006)

This is a kitsch tear-jerker that relentlessly and mercilessly tortures the audience for over three hours with its relentless pursuit of maximum pathos. It uses New Testament parables, miracles, the supernatural, compassionate glances, and spares no expense with the large number and intensity of its clichéd characters. A miracle happened to me, too, and it was that I somehow endured the three hour running time, but only just. In retrospect, I can not help but marvel at how anyone could be moved by such a matchless piece of trash, let alone how it could be so massively popular... I understand that lovers of severely kitsch tear-jerkers may find something to like here, but for me, it rather reaffirms, again and again, that the adaptations of King's books, with the exception of The Shawshank Redemption, do nothing for me. For the performances of Hanks and Duncan I give 1 star, a higher rating is out of the question as I can not think of anything constructive. (03/01/2021)

Paul Edgecomb meets John Coffey and I have no idea that the most painful film I have ever seen awaits me. Unbelievable power throughout the entire runtime and a climax that I watched in awe, unable to catch my breath. There are not many films that have touched me more deeply, and yet I'm not sure if I could emotionally handle a second viewing. Every actor's performance is extraordinary, and another brilliant film by Frank Darabont that surpasses even the emotionally escalating source material by King. (27/05/2006)

Book/movie, I can confirm today, it doesn't matter. The story of The Green Mile belongs on the pedestal of the best ever written. What adds up to an extra marathon of over 3 hours is an immensely strong line-up of great supporting characters, among whom even star power Tom Hanks remains slightly overshadowed. Another bonus is the brilliant musical score by Thomas Newman and the slightly altered tone compared to King’s novel, which pushes the envelope a bit more in some moments and turns it almost into a fairytale as a result. Very dark and adult, but still universal enough to be fully experienced by a nine-year-old boy whose parents let him watch it past midnight for the first time in his life. (06/03/2019)

I consider The Green Mile one of the most beautiful dramas I've ever seen. It is guaranteed to make me cry and thrill me every time. The prison theme is really thin ice, it's just that Frank Darabont knows it like nobody else and prefers quality over quantity. The cast is also impeccable! A wonderful film that everyone must see. (12/02/2011)