Biblical

Rating: 10/10 (13 February 2006)

Stephen King is something of an oddity to me. On the one hand he comes out with pulp trash like Thinner and The Stand, both works of utter banality written by a bored and cynical author whose only interest lies in the accumulation of wealth and the mass production of brainless rubbish. On the other he creates works of pure genius like Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile whose literary importance are, IMO, right up there with the greats. This latter is, undoubtedly, the work of a literary genius and it should be taught in schools no less. The plot wastes nothing, driving home its point from start to finish and wasting not a single millimetre of film in the process, from the subtlety of John Coffey's name (JC, Jesus Christ) to the crucial importance of every character, including the detestable but ultimately pitiable Percy and the vile, and yet somehow funny Wild Bill. That we are made to laugh at Wild Bill's antics is no sick frivolity on King's part. This movie delves deep into the human soul and asks us exactly what we think right and wrong is, what we think of justice and how we perceive the duplicity of faith and kharma. We are involved. We are made to gasp, cry, shout and cheer. And in our involvement we are forced to make uncomfortable alliances. Is Coffey the second coming? Or is he merely an angel, adrift on earth and 'lost in the dark'? His benevolence is clearly complete. He has no capacity for evil, and yet he is executed for one of the most evil crimes imaginable. His cross is a chair, his disciples are mere prison guards, and yet the injustice of his death is no less potent. Only the symbolism of his place in the world and our empathy with it are questionable compared with the unsullied perfection of King's inspiration. This is a movie rife with subtle asides and depths you'll miss if you blink. But also a movie of great passion and unending love for the art of storytelling. Not a scene is out of place. Not a camera angle goes astray. Hanks, Hutchison and above all else, Clark-Duncan, create a masterpiece between them. Duncan's moving performance is simply breathtaking. Here is an actor used to portraying henchmen, hired goons and 'gangstas' giving the performance of his life as nothing less than the most tear-jerking softy since Bambie. Not since King Kong has such a muscle bound hulk touched the hearts of so many. I defy even the hardest of hearts not to blub as Coffey pleads to be spared the execution hood because he fears the dark. Hanks puts in another sterling performance. Better than Private Ryan, but possibly less than Forrest Gump. This is Hanks as Hanks. Hanks as you know him from such films as Sleepless in Seattle, The Money Pit or Turner and Hooch. Hanks as funny man in a not altogether funny situation. Hanks as the put upon Hanks making do the best he can. But ultimately Hanks at his most convicted. He liked making this movie. You can tell. Which is good, because anyone associated with production of The Green Mile should be proud of their creation.