The last millennial allegory

Rating: Null/10 (11 December 1999)

In his first film since "The Shawshank Redemption", Frank Darabont once again takes us inside the King County Pen for "The Green Mile", a mysterious and surprisingly grim story about a prison guard who gets to touch the miraculous. However, that very miracle is what he has been fated to destroy, and the film therefore becomes the story about how a man comes to spend a lifetime atoning for the greatest sin of all.
Tom Hanks, once again in fine form, stars as Paul Edgecomb, the guard of the Green Mile, a Louisiana state prison's death row facilities. One day, a new prisoner comes onto the block, and immediately stands out. John Coffey (dig the initials) is big, slow, and good of heart, and stands convicted of the murder of two innocent girls. Coffey, it turns out, is a man of supernatural sensitivities, in more ways than one.
The film starts out with rock-bottom realism, thanks to the authentic production design of Terence Marsh and the consistently eloquent cinematography of David Tattersall. However, as the hyperreal elements of the story begin to creep into prominence, the story intensifies, becoming more magical...and sadly, that's where it lost me a little bit. What made "Shawshank" so powerful was that the redemption of the men had nothing to do with God or miracles, but with their own will, hope, and determination. Giving these desperate, damned men a hand from above can make for interesting philosophical considerations, but from a purely plot-driven standpoint, it almost feels like cheating.
Still, there's a lot here to recommend. Darabont's direction is carefully controlled and skillful, and the film is supported at all times by another unique score from the wonderful Thomas Newman. However, this is another case of a film being elevated by its actors. In addition to Hanks, we have a star-making performance from Michael Clarke Duncan as Coffey (who would have guessed that Bear from "Armageddon" had this kind of soulfulness in him?), and great work from Doug Hutchison as a sadistic guard, David Morse as the other wise man of the block, and Michael Jeter as a prisoner who falls prey to the most unfortunate execution in cinema history.
The film is involving, and the three hours the story takes to unspool do not drag. However, the initial feeling one is left with is of grim hopelessness. Without giving away too much, let me just comment that it does not say a tremendous amount for mankind that the ultimate punishment is to be an observer of the follies of man. Bearing witness to atrocity, however, can often be the best way to ensure that future tragedies do not occur, and in many ways, that is the message of the film...an important message to carry with us as we plunge into an uncertain new thousand years.