The Green Mile

Tom Hanks is a rare feature on this blog because I am not the biggest fan of his but this film has been recommended to me by numerous people.

The Green Mile has a very Shawshank Redemption feel to it. The Shawshank Redemption featured on the first year of the blog and hopefully that was long enough for me to be able to make the odd comparison here and there and get away with it.

It's a three hour long film which was slightly unusual for that time and at times felt a little bit lethargic. With the same sort of feel as 'The Silence of the Lambs' because most of the scenes are done in prison it is easy to find it a little boring. I haven't read the Stephen King book that this was adapted from so I don't know how accurate this film is but I would love for anyone who has read the book to comment and let me know if it is anything like the film or vice-versa.

The wardens (or whatever they really are) were probably the best pick of the cast. They had all the laughs and some of the best lines. They were easily the best characters in terms of development and expression. Although the focus was really on 'John' and his weird powers his character was a solom (spelling) one and when that was added to the giant of a man that he was the character was intimidating but not crazy or anything like that, just intimidating. Watching him bring the mouse back to life was lovely. They captured the emotion of the other guards with the serious nature of it all.

The villain was deserving of everything that came his way. Yes, there were some moments when he was made to look like an idiot by the crazy guy in the cell but that doesn't excuse his behaviour and he deserved to look like a fool. The other guys were the ones who showed control, restraint, humour- everything needed to make a complete character and they controlled the prison- this guy didn't control anything or have anything that was needed to make him a complete character.

Good film but i've now seen it so I don't need to see it again.