Perfection!

Rating: 10/10 (17 February 2010)

"The Green Mile" is a GREAT movie, a Masterpiece. In a great movie everything "clicks" during the filming and this is a perfect example. The cast of Green Mile is so perfect that one cannot picture or imagine anyone else in these roles. The most crucial character in this film was John Coffey, and he was the last one cast. John Coffey is such a complex character not only in psychologically but in physical appearance. Michael Clarke Duncan was suggested by Bruce Willis, who'd read Stephen King's book, at the last moment and he delivered in spades. He is the heart of this movie. The other cast members: the always dependable, Tom Hanks, David Morse and James Cromwell, the brilliant Sam Rockwell and Barry Pepper, the terrific character actors Jeffrey DeMunn, Graham Greene, Harry Dean Stanton and veteran Dabbs Greer, along with Bonnie Hunt and Patricia Clarkson and newcomer Doug Hutchison. The late Michael Jeter turned in an Oscar worthy performance as the Cajun prisoner Eduard Delacroix. Last but not least was Mr. Jingles the talented mouse, who was portrayed by a group of equally talented stunt-mice. Frank Darabont deserves credit for his vision and directing which put everything into place. Kudos also to David Tattersall's stunning cinematography, Thomas Newman's whimsical score and to Stephen King for a brilliant story. There are so many great scenes in this film that it's difficult to single out one, but the scene where Paul Edgecombe (Hanks) asks John Coffey (Duncan) what he can do for him, when he knows Coffey is innocent is extremely poignant. I should also give credit to Terence Marsh and William Cruse who "created" the Green Mile set. This film is on a par with its counterpart "The Shawshank Redemption" also by Stephen King and directed by Frank Darabont.