The Green Mile

Synopsis

At Cold Mountain Penitentiary, Louisiana, the prisoners rarely make it out alive. Death Row inmate John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan)--a black man convicted of brutally raping and murdering two white girls--strikes up an unusual and profound connection with one of the security guards, Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks). Despite Coffey's formidable physical presence, Edgecomb sees a kind, gentle man who doesn't fit the profile of psychopathic killer. Convinced of Coffey's innocence, Edgecomb can only look on helplessly as his friend counts down his final days.

Set during the Great Depression--a time when racial tensions were high, particularly in the South, and black men were often convicted of crimes they did not commit--the film seems to imply that Coffey's sentencing was racially motivated. THE GREEN MILE derives its title from the nickname given to Death Row by its guards.

Director Frank Darabont's second adaptation of a Stephen King prison tale (the first being 1994's Oscar nominated THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION) is a sobering reminder of the inherent flaws in the American justice system and the moral implications of capital punishment. The film features uniformly excellent performances in leading and supporting roles, notably Duncan as Coffey; David Morse and Barry Pepper as Hanks' fellow prison guards; and Michael Jeter as condemned killer Edward Delacroix.