Well-acted, but story could use some fixing

Rating: Null/10 (7 February 2000)

"The Green Mile" is the kind of film that oozes with confidence that it is going to win a slew of awards, where some scenes look like they were made so the Academy would play them as a clip while announcing the nominees. Some people have been blown away by it, while others have brushed it off as a self-important piece of rubbish. My feelings fall somewhere in the middle. I think "The Green Mile" is a likeable film, but not exactly worthy of getting a "Best Picture" nod. The main thing that makes this film strong is it's collection of exceptional performances. Tom Hanks delivers the goods (surprise, surprise) in almost every scene, while the lesser known actors that surround him also shine. I was especially moved by the actors who played Dell and John, both give sincere performances that are truly Oscar worth. The story definitely sounds shmaltzy when you here about it second-hand, but the director does a pretty decent job with. It's a simple tale of a couple of prison guard's discovery of a miracle, ultimately making them reassess their own emotional lives. What I didn't like about the plot was that it too long and became redundant at times, and some of the character's aren't handled very well. There was a bit of sporadic immaturity in the lead characters, they sometimes acted like schoolboys instead of grown men. Percy and Wild Bill weren't explored enough, and both got their "just deserts" too harshly and easily. The supernatural aspect of the story was made well with emotional intensity, as well as a surprisingly low amount of cheesiness, some moments were actually quite powerful and moving, especially towards the end. "The Green Mile" could of been a lot better if unneccesary scenes had been ommited and it moved at a faster pace. It's still a pretty good film though, despite it's flaws.