An Emotional Masterpiece!

Rating: 10/10 (20 September 2018)

There have been a few times in my life when a film moved me to such a degree that I cry for hours after the end credits have rolled... last night was one of them. I avoided watching The Green Mile for years after my very first experience left me crying for a whole week and experiencing intense nightmares about it. One could say that I was probably not emotionally ready to handle a movie of this magnitude and while the emotions I experienced were very real to me, I never grasped the underlying messages and couldn't understand the symbolism.
As a matured adult I experienced the film very differently. On the surface level, this film is about the brutal murder of two young girls which led a black man to be falsely accused of the crime and sentenced to death. The film delves into the relationships formed between the prisoners and the officers in charge, and the realization that he may be innocent of the crime. However, beneath the surface, the film is riddled with deep symbolism that makes it incredibly difficult to watch.
The selection of cast members for this movie was expertly chosen - each one bringing a new layer of humanity to the overall story. Tom Hanks was breath-taking in his portrayal of Paul Edgecomb, the head guard on the mile who was greatly affected by the magical presence of John Coffey. Tom captured Paul's inner struggles beautifully and brought the character to life.
The late Michael Clarke Duncan, who played John Coffey was mesmerising and I could not take my eyes off of him. His muscular physique and rough exterior made him perfect for the role but it was his ability to embody the mysterious and often naive nature of John Coffey's character that should have won him an Oscar. His character's growth throughout the film and his ultimate realisation that the only way to escape this unpleasant life is to go through with his execution are what made him so heart-wrenching to watch.
Moreover, the underlying symbolism in this movie was expertly hidden and handled with care. Most notably was Mr Jingles, the little grey mouse who befriended inmate Edward Delacroix and offered him some relief from the pain he was facing as his impending execution was fast approaching, symbolising the child-like nature of the human spirit and our longing to cling to life. I found their interactions very heart-warming but it was his brutal execution that awoke a sense of hopelessness and sadness in me.
Another example of this was evident in the scene where John Coffey is being led out of the prison to be taken to the house of the Sheriff who's wife was dying of brain cancer; he stops for a moment to look up at the stars and tries to share a story with the officers. Later, as he is being led to a wooded area outside the prison walls, he stops for a moment to smell the leaves on the floor and then offers them to the officers to smell. In both scenes, he portrays both the child-like wonder so many of us have lost and the lack of gratitude that we have for simple things like being able to smell leaves or look up at the stars.
Finally, John Coffey epitomized three of the most beautiful characteristics any person could have: love, compassion and empathy. As I watched his character unfold, I felt drawn to the pain that he was experiencing. If I had to describe my own experience with this life, it would be through John Coffey's famous line: "I'm tired, boss. Tired of being on the road, lonely as a sparrow in the rain. I'm tired of never having a buddy to be with, to tell me where we's going to, coming from or why. Mostly, I'm tired of people being ugly to each other."