Nice save

Rating: 6/10 (22 June 2002)

This movie has all of the elements of a disaster in the making - it's based on a novel by Stephen King that was written long after he had exhausted any iota of originality he may have once had, has a familiar 1930s jailhouse setting (with the usual heavily art-directed "period" sets), stereotypical characters, a familiar supernatural plot, a heavy-handed sense of melodrama, even a twist ending. Most of all, it has 3+ HOUR RUNNING TIME. Despite all of these factors, The Green Mile is perfectly watchable, if not particularly memorable - it's a great example of how good actors and casting can elevate a potentially terrible movie to a watchable one. David Morse, who has never stood out in anything I've seen him in, puts in a great performance. Michael Clarke Duncan is no more than a serviceable gentle giant, but his amazing physical presence makes his performance notable nonetheless. Tom Hanks, as usual, is reliable. Remove these actors, though, and you would be left with a mediocre TV miniseries. At best.