A Moral Cartoon

Rating: 6/10 (2 January 2000)

Disturbing in its mawkish moral certitudes, The Green Mile makes the guileless and plainspoken suspect and generally undermines its best sentiments. Despite (or because of?) the loving, ingenuous hand of its director and the everyman appeal of Tom Hanks, the good are deftly made to seem dull-witted in this otherwise well-crafted bit of moral candy. As with any good sermon, you always know exactly what to feel, when to cry, and who to blame. Perhaps our moral fiber needs a workout like this now and again, but like most exercise, it leaves you hungry for real food.