Politically correct nothingness

Rating: 3/10 (21 April 2000)

"The Green Mile" tries hard to be a nice movie, to steer your emotions, to feel along. Etc. Everybody who is nice simply is nice, character depth is secondary. What completely ridicules the entire thing is the influence of fantasy elements to enlighten the atmosphere. Not only is everybody nice, but heah, with some special abilities they are even nicer!

Technically the movie is of course well done. Camera, lights, everything is in the green. Unfortunately that doesn't make a good movie, when characters are simply created to fulfill general expectations. Although this simply seems to be a routine production to appeal to mass audiences, anyway, and of course it hits right on the target. That Hanks was in for a role here is understandable - his main aim nowaday seems to be building up his reputation with the Academy. For Duncan the decision was probably more difficult, he got to play the usual part of the black country guy. But a chance to get a role in a "made to please the academy" film is a hard thing to refuse, esp. when your co-star is Hanks and a name like Stephen King stands for the novel.
It is much more reccomendable to watch "Dead Man Walking" for a good look on the topic, but of course if you felt along with the characters in Cameron's "Titanic" this is your thing to go for.