It takes a lot of work to make a well-rounded film. Some movies have too much drama, or too little conflict, etc. When there’s a film that captures the right amount of everything, there’s no competing. The Green Mile is a good example of a well-rounded film. It has sad and happy moments, a good conflict, enough romance and some phenomenal things happen.
The Green Mile is about the death row section of a prison, also known as, “E” block. Tom Hanks plays the boss of E block.
Part of being a prison officer on death row consists of being somewhat of a counselor to the inmates. Not all the officers under Tom Hanks like this method. Most of the officers like to keep the inmates calm and under control, but one officer, Percy Wetmore, likes to annoy the heck out of them. The movie has a wide variety of incidents that makes it spectacular.
A good movie has to be both sad and funny at moments.
For example, after getting to know the inmates waiting to be electrocuted, it’s hard to see them die. They obviously were placed on death row for a reason, but they were really good people on the inside. To even out this feeling, the director would add a funny line in there to get you to laugh. Such as, when they practice the electrocution process, with a janitor pretending to be the inmate. As the fake inmate says his, “last words” he adds, “and I’d like May West to sit on my face cuz I’m one horny m*th*r f*ck*r.
” Every single guard started busting up laughing. It was so hilarious, at a serious moment in the film the director could manage to get a huge laugh out of everyone watching. So the movie was funny but serious and sad when necessary.
Every film has a good conflict. This movie happens to have several, but one sticks out in my mind. Percy, the guard who doesn’t like treating the inmates well, gets in everyone’s way. As the new officer on the block, he made his point clear. He wants to see one of the inmates cook up close, and then he’ll transfer out of E block. He’s willing to make everyone’s life a living hell in order to get what he wants. Nobody likes him because he is so inconsiderate to the people around him. He finally gets his wish, but soon after Tom Hanks and the other officers get their revenge. They force him into a straight jacket and confine him in a padded room for the night. I was so happy to see him get a taste of his own medicine. What made this conflict good was that is lasted throughout the whole movie. So when they finally got revenge, it was definitely sweet.
Romance is a key factor. Tom Hanks and his wife complete this area of the movie. He could talk to her about all the problems he had at work that day. Seeing them relax together makes a nice break from all the stress and turmoil the scenes at the prison cause.
An extra-ordinary event adds a lot of spice to a movie. What happens in The Green Mile is really phenomenal. One of the inmates, John Cofee, has a special gift. He can actually heal any disease known to man by simply touching the area of pain. The reason John was sentenced to death was because they found him with two dead bodies. Of course the police would think he murdered these two people, when in reality he was trying to heal them and bring them back to life. In the movie, Cofee is a miracle of God. All the officers, besides Percy of course, have a hard time with killing such a gift. The impact John Cofee has on the officers gives me goose bumps to think about. Nothing else is relevant once you realize the gift John possesses. This kind of phenomenon makes the movie.
So no matter what kind of film you prefer, The Green Mile will satisfy your needs and more. It has the perfect variety of events, and it leaves you wanting to see more. It takes a lot of planning and thinking to make a well-rounded film. I’m sure I would like any movie that is somewhat similar to this one.