This one gets added with a bit of a caveat. At least on my part. Ever since the first time I saw "The Green Mile", I knew it would be a difficult movie for me to watch a second time. It was one of the few movies that moved me to the point where my eyes welled up. No, I didn't cry. I'm just saying the eyes welled up. I've had that happen before but something about this one was just different.
The anomaly occurred because this was an extremely powerful film. It took me quite a while before I was able to watch it a second time. I even own the dvd yet couldn't bring myself to bust it out. When it finally came on television the other day and there was nothing else on, I decided to watch again. I had the same reaction. It may be another great while before I watch it again.
The thing about "The Green Mile" is it is very emotionally draining. I defy anyone with warm blood and a pulse to not get the same sensation from it. They take the painstaking time to develop the story in such a way that you feel as though you're a part of it. You connect with these characters on death row and experience what they are going thru, for better and worse. Director Frank Darabont did just about as masterful a job as anyone could do in translating Stephen King's novel to the big screen.
The main reason why "The Green Mile" is so moving is because of the performance of one Michael Clarke Duncan as John Coffey. Yet another movie where the Jesus comparisons are drawn to one of the characters. It holds water here. Cofey is easily the most gentle and kindest soul that anyone would ever want to meet. One who just happens to be blessed with special healing powers. We get to see the guards endear themselves with him and his spirit only to realize they still have to do their jobs and execute him. They have to kill an innocent man. The scene where his actual execution takes place is one moment where dry eyes are no longer safe.
Who would have ever guessed Duncan had this kind of a performance in him? Certainly not me. And this is coming from someone who thoroughly enjoyed him in previous Vault Pick selection "Armageddon". There was nothing there to indicate that he had the depth to handle a role of this magnitude. Nevertheless, he stepped up to the challenge. So much so that he catapulted his name quickly to the A-list and rightfully so.
There was also another guy in "The Green Mile" that you may have heard of before: Tom Hanks? I can't think of any other actor that dominated a decade as much as Hanks did. He closed out the 20th Century perfectly with this 1999 release. He seemed to have a knack for playing those characters that reflect on their life. When it's done properly, it can produce an amazing story and that's just what happened here.
Some would say that a good movie should be one that you can watch repeatedly and still enjoy each time like it was the first. That is definitely true. However, films like "The Green Mile" test that theory. You don't want to see it repeatedly because it just takes so much out of you from even one viewing. There's nothing wrong with that either though. It just proves that the movie had the impact it was supposed to and permanently validates itself as a classic.
