La Ligne verte

Darabont stepped into the same river for the second time. After The Shawshank Redemption he made another film with a prison setting, and again based on a Stephen King novel. And again great. Not, great, brilliant! When I walked out of the cinema, I was like drunk. At home, I was jumping up and down with delight that I had seen the best film of my life. Now, in hindsight, my emotions have cooled, but I definitely rank The Green Mile among the most remarkable films of recent years. (13/04/2003)

Paul Edgecomb meets John Coffey and I have no idea that the most painful film I have ever seen awaits me. Unbelievable power throughout the entire runtime and a climax that I watched in awe, unable to catch my breath. There are not many films that have touched me more deeply, and yet I'm not sure if I could emotionally handle a second viewing. Every actor's performance is extraordinary, and another brilliant film by Frank Darabont that surpasses even the emotionally escalating source material by King. (27/05/2006)

I consider The Green Mile one of the most beautiful dramas I've ever seen. It is guaranteed to make me cry and thrill me every time. The prison theme is really thin ice, it's just that Frank Darabont knows it like nobody else and prefers quality over quantity. The cast is also impeccable! A wonderful film that everyone must see. (12/02/2011)

Stephen King is a genius. Frank Darabont is a genius. And whenever these two get together a perfect work of art comes to life that remains indelibly in the souls of those who see it. Similarly to The Shawshank Redemption, the story takes place in prison, more precisely in The Green Mile where those who were sentenced to death await execution. At the beginning of the story we meet old Paul Edgecombe who remembers the days of his youth and one of the prisoners. A person who had a wonderful gift. John Coffey (like coffee but spelled differently). And we become witnesses to one of the most touching story of all times. (19/06/2006)

Michael Mann has "Time is luck," Tom Hanks has "Earn it." Within the span of two years, Hanks starred in two similarly phenomenal films where the setting plays second fiddle, because the main role was a well-lived life. However, while in Saving Private Ryan he plays the rescuer, in The Green Mile he is the one being rescued. Frank Darabont has a masterful ability to work with emotions, doing so in a simple and understandable way (with music, editing and directing actors), yet it is not simplistic or overly sentimental with a carpet bombing approach towards the viewers. The film is full of nuances and grand gestures, from which everyone can take what they personally prefer. (04/06/2014)

The Green Mile made an even stronger impression on me (forgive the conventional comparison) than Shawshank when I first watched it. Gradually, though, the roles have reversed significantly, and it emerges that the former title represents filmmaking conducted on a much simpler narrative basis, which at times applies pure emotional cynicism far more forcefully and ostentatiously than the more subtly constructed and poetic Shawshank. Yet words are inadequate to describe how much I admire and love this film, its "absorbing" narrative concept, the performances, its dramatic timing and its ideas. Darabont again leads the attention in a minimalist way, enclosing his actors for three hours in a fictional world where, despite the strict rules and the depressing aura of inevitable death, he defines a precise space for conflict, hatred and fear, but also hope, friendship and humour, and by constantly changing moods depending on the presence of a particular character and gradually tightening the screws on the reveal of the main mystery, the director establishes one of the most complex emotional experiences in the history of cinema. If you want to experience films and draw inspiration from them, The Green Mile will suck you in, move you to tears and show you that even in the least joyful places, where the minutes drag on and life seemingly has no meaning, it pays to be a good person. Miracles really do happen, not only John Coffey but Frank Darabont in particular is proof of that; ) (24/04/2011)

This is a kitsch tear-jerker that relentlessly and mercilessly tortures the audience for over three hours with its relentless pursuit of maximum pathos. It uses New Testament parables, miracles, the supernatural, compassionate glances, and spares no expense with the large number and intensity of its clichéd characters. A miracle happened to me, too, and it was that I somehow endured the three hour running time, but only just. In retrospect, I can not help but marvel at how anyone could be moved by such a matchless piece of trash, let alone how it could be so massively popular... I understand that lovers of severely kitsch tear-jerkers may find something to like here, but for me, it rather reaffirms, again and again, that the adaptations of King's books, with the exception of The Shawshank Redemption, do nothing for me. For the performances of Hanks and Duncan I give 1 star, a higher rating is out of the question as I can not think of anything constructive. (03/01/2021)

Frank Darabont is a common emotional blackmailer. To his credit, though, he certainly knows how to make the viewer use their handkerchiefs. I have to admit that during some scenes even a cynic like me blinked with a little more frequency than usual and that alone deserves recognition. Admittedly, here he mostly attacked my fixation on little rodents, and with this and more he succeeded in keeping me from being able to tear my eyes from the screen for the entire 188 minutes. However, the film does have a few, though perhaps not so pronounced, weaknesses. First of all, one can't help but compare it to The Shawshank Redemption (also by Darabont), compared to which it stands out for the lack of an absolutely clear separation between the black and white sides. The young guard, Percy, has absolutely no positive side and is simply a rotten swine from start to finish until it starts to feel unrealistic. On the other hand, the characters of Tom Hanks, his friends, or John Coffey (like coffee, only spelled differently) are paper-positive heroes from start to finish, good to watch and root for, but they’re missing a little dimension. But whatever, screw it. What movie holds its viewer's complete attention and rushes by like water with a running time longer than three hours? Definitely a timeless work. (25/06/2006)

A film that will lead you to deep questions and literally unravel your emotional depth. From the unique beauty of the human character to the bitterness of injustice and the ticking hands on the clock that represent the greatest existential fear ever. (23/03/2021)

Book/movie, I can confirm today, it doesn't matter. The story of The Green Mile belongs on the pedestal of the best ever written. What adds up to an extra marathon of over 3 hours is an immensely strong line-up of great supporting characters, among whom even star power Tom Hanks remains slightly overshadowed. Another bonus is the brilliant musical score by Thomas Newman and the slightly altered tone compared to King’s novel, which pushes the envelope a bit more in some moments and turns it almost into a fairytale as a result. Very dark and adult, but still universal enough to be fully experienced by a nine-year-old boy whose parents let him watch it past midnight for the first time in his life. (06/03/2019)