An excellent, emotionally powerful movie.

Rating: 10/10 (13 December 1999)

Since I found out about its impending release (in July) I have been waiting with baited breath to see "The Green Mile". I had read, and loved, the book, and I knew that Darabont and Hanks would not disappoint. As it turns out, having read the book actually took away from my enjoyment of this wonderful movie. There were several surprises that I was not able to participate in, and the anticipation of one particularly catastrophic scene nearly sent me fleeing from the theatre (rest assured, while the scene in the film was extremely powerful and disturbing, it wasn't nearly as graphic as it is in the book). This drawback aside, "The Green Mile" was without a doubt the best film I've seen all year.
It would be a travesty if Michael Duncan does not receive an Oscar for his phenomenal portrayal of John Coffey. He had me crying at nearly every scene he was in. Doug Hutchison, David Morse and Michael Jeter also gave terrific performances, and Tom Hanks was... Tom Hanks. You can always count on him for a reliably moving performance.
When going to see this film, be sure to bring some hankies (preferably Marcal brand, because they do not test on animals). My sister claimed that she didn't need tissues because she's not a "cry-at-movies" type of person. Well, she only made it a little more than halfway through before she was bawling like the rest of us. There wasn't a dry eye in the theatre by the final scenes.
Also, try not to go in with preconceived notions about this being a "Shawshank" sequel. The settings for the two may be similar, but they are radically different films, with totally separate feels. "The Green Mile" is definitely strong enough to stand on it's own. It should not be missed!