Overlong and too worthy but still a good story  just don't expect it to be anything like Shawshank 2!

Rating: Null/10 (8 March 2003)

Now a resident in a rest home, one time head warden on death row, Paul Edgecomb, is struggling with his untold memories. When a film brings it all back to him he recounts the story of the time when a huge black prisoner called John Coffey was put into wing. It is not too long before the peaceful, loving prisoner, found guilty of the rape and murder of two children, has mysterious gifts that transcend the decay of the lives around the prison.
After Shawskank Redemption I was attracted to this as many of the makers were the same not to mention the author, the prison setting and the running time. However that same running time and some negative reviews put me off and I didn't get round to seeing it till recently. The film is very slow and this is occasionally to it's detriment but not too often. It's main failing is that it's supernatural spin makes it difficult to get involved and lose yourself in completely. `Redemption's ` strength was that it was a human story. Green Mile tries to have the strength of human spirit at it's core but it doesn't quite come off.
That's not to say that the story still isn't moving and involving because it is. However it doesn't come as easily as it should and when the story slows a little bit it does feel slow. It could easily have lost 30 minutes as at it's current length it feels like a long movie which is a bad thing  Two Towers is long but didn't FEEL long! Also something I always find annoying is when a score really works the emotion where the actual film can't manage it by itself  here the score is working overtime to wring every drop of emotion from the scenes.
The film is very well directed and there are powerful moments of cruelty. When the chair is used I couldn't help but feel that it was real. However the main attraction (other than the mouse!) is a wonderful performance by Duncan. True there is an element of slave cliché about it but he rises above that a gives a performance of such emotion and such gentleness that came as a surprise from someone of his build. Hanks is also good and wisely plays it quite low-key and the support cast is solid, comprised of many many well known faces including Morse and Cromwell.
Overall this is good but overlong. It is a very different film from Shawshank and many will compare it to that much better film. However the film is worth the work despite some simplistic errors and flaws.