Damn Good Yarn!

Rating: 10/10 (23 September 2000)

When ever I pick a video with Tom Hanks I know I'm going to watch something that will move me in some way. Aside from his talent, the man obviously has good judgement in the roles he chooses.
Strange as it seems I had no prior knowledge of 'The Green Mile'. Somehow I managed to miss the promotions and nobody had commented on it. I found myself in the video store desperately trying to find something different and I think I found it!
I must confess I was unaware that this was the work of Steven King and was delighted with a more feeling approach from the man. I have at times found him very hard to read although I have enjoyed many of his movies. I do feel the man deserves enormous credit for what is essentially a damn good yarn!
As the story unfolds we discover a bunch of guys doing their utmost to make the last days of the condemned prisoners in their care as humane as possible. Their biggest problem appears to be the sadistic nature of the latest recruit which is compounded by his connections to people in power.

What evolves is a very moving picture touching on fantasy and emphasising the loopholes of the 30's judicial system.
Hanks is as good as always and much like a golfer, at the end of the day only competing against his past performances. Once again David Morse plays an excellent supporting role. Michael Clarke Duncan shows himself worthy of great things to come and Doug Hutchinson makes a powerful appearance of the man we love to hate. Credit too must go to Frank Darabont who turned a good story into a great movie.
There are some horrific scenes which I thought my wife would hate, however all is justified in the telling of the story.
The result is I'll be looking for the names above when I'm looking for movies and maybe give Steven King's books another look.