In one of the many moving, beautiful, and painful moments in the faithful three-hour adaptation of Stephen King's serial novel The Green Mile, death row inmate John Coffey gazes the camera head-on and softly proclaims, "You can't hide what's in your heart." This is a moment of truth, and it hurts -- not just because its meaning is so double-edged for its gifted and tormented protagonist, and not just because any words issuing from the wonderfully expressive face of Michael Clarke Duncan carry emotional weight, but because it puts into words the sad, simple beauty of the film as a whole. Horror movies serve as metaphorical interpretations of our deepest fears and longings; The Green Mile, while in no way a horror film, is true to its Stephen King pedigree in that it conveys powerful emotion in its rawest, purest state, often with supernatural overtones. Because The Green Mile doesn't hide what is in its heart, because it can't, it stands as one of the most compelling movies of the year.
Set in the death row block of a 1930s Southern prison, the film details the lives of a small group of prisoners and guards who witness an unexpected miracle in the form of prisoner John Coffey. Coffey, an enormous, simple-minded black man sentenced to death for the rape and murder of two young girls, finds himself equally condemned by his own Christ-like ability: to raise the dead, heal human pain, and in turn serve as a receptacle for the very anguish he can relieve. Confronted with evidence of his supernatural powers, the prison guards, led by Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks), begin to question issues of morality that are only compounded by the man's impending execution.
The Green Mile is a story of sacrifice and redemption, but it is one made effective by the familiar, sympathetic characters who tell the tale. This is, of course, where the casting of Tom Hanks as Edgecomb comes in. Playing yet another Everyman hero, Hanks reminds us exactly why he is so sought after for these kinds of roles. He is simply incredible; from his changed physical appearance to the subtle, quietly emotional quality of his performance, he embodies his character so thoroughly you can totally forget this was the guy you saw voicing a cowboy doll the week before.
This quality extends to the many exceptional members of the Green Mile cast -- in fact, the casting director should be applauded as much as the actors -- but there are two men who are particularly worthy of praise. The first is the aforementioned Duncan, who has the most open, expressive face I've ever seen. And as a character who literally absorbs every ounce of emotion that is offered before him, Duncan uses this receptive quality to incredible, almost painful results. Known primarily as the big, black guy from Armageddon, Duncan will hopefully receive roles that utilize his incredible talent more wisely. Watching this man can be mesmerizing.
The question most likely to appear on non-genre fans' lips, however, is likely to concern the amazing actor who played sadistic prison guard Percy Wetmore. While the launch of Doug Hutchison into the regions of big-screen stardom won't shock anyone who read The 11th Hour's interview with him way back in September, the sheer level of his performance may still come as a surprise. I think this is the first time I've understood a character in a book better now that I've seen the movie. While the Percy of the novel was a compellingly cruel presence, the perfectly cast Hutchison fuels his role with a depth and humanity that didn't come across as strongly in the written work. The Green Mile is such an effective moral parable because of the very complex, fluctuating nature of its characters, and no one expresses this more than Hutchison. He transforms what could have been a stereotypical villain role into a character that is pitiable, maddening, and detestable all at the same time. More than any other actor in the movie, including Hanks, Hutchison is the one worthy of an Oscar nod and the pick of any future role he chooses. This actor is capable of anything.
Then there is director Frank Darabont, who seems to have cornered the world's smallest niche market: Stephen King prison novels. Darabont, who also penned the screenplay adaptation, has the deepest and most natural understanding of King than any other director who has attempted to translate his work onto the screen. While other directors tended to grab on to the gore and all-out horror that superficially define the King name, Darabont knows that the true appeal of King lies in his ability to make an extraordinary situation seem believable. Darabont uses the small space of the Green Mile prison block wisely, bringing out the magical qualities of its bleak surroundings. Only in a Darabont/King collaboration could two of the most affecting scenes in a movie -- Coffey's first display of his ability and Percy's terrified breakdown -- revolve around, well, urine. It is this elevation of the mundane into something almost spiritual that allows The Green Mile, whether in written or cinematic form, to triumph.
DROOL FACTOR: I was too engrossed with the compelling story to bother to drool. Yes, it was that good.
GROSS-OUT FACTOR: The death penalty.
STRONG CHICK FACTOR: As it takes place mostly in a 1930s death row penitentiary, women are few and far between. That doesn't stop powerful performances from Bonnie Hunt as Paul's sweet and dignified wife, Jan, or Patricia Clarkson as the ailing Melinda Moores.
-- Sarah Kendzior
The Green Mile is currently playing in theaters near you.
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