The Green Mile / The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption, based on King's novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption from Different Seasons, is a moving story of an innocent man jailed for the murder of his wife. The main character's fellow cellmates are depicted not as criminals but as human beings with hopes, fears, dreams, and goodness within their souls. Perhaps the most tear-inducing subdrama involves an old man who has been in prison so long that he cannot adapt to life as a free man. Tim Robbins shines in the role of Andy Dufresne, an innocent man determined to escape and make a new life for himself far away from Shawshank Prison, while Morgan Freeman, for my money the best actor in Hollywood, is brilliant as Red, the long-timer who ultimately becomes a true and trusted friend to Andy, whom he first dismisses as a hopeless case.

The Green Mile of course offers brilliant performances of its own: the always-impressive Tom Hanks is absolutely stellar as Paul Edgecomb, the head of a depression-era Death Row cellblock, but even Hanks is almost overshadowed by the performance of Michael Clarke Duncan, a talented actor who finally got a chance to show the depth and passion of his abilities in this breakthrough role of John Coffey. If ever there were a giant of a man with a giant heart, it is this poor black man who is wrongly convicted and sentenced to death for killing two white girls. Coffey has a remarkable gift, one which touches the heart of Edgecomb, his fellow jailers (with one notable, despicable exception), and anyone who watches the movie.

In one sense, the true star of both of these films is Frank Darabont. Darabont does the impossible not once but twice, actually improving upon already powerful stories from the mind of Stephen King. Both movies are rather lengthy, but Darabont uses every second to create two viewing experiences that are almost perfect from start to finish. These are movies even the most virulent Stephen King critic can enjoy, and both films will touch your heart and remain in your memory for some time to come.


Book or Movie?   May 20, 2004
Gideon Griebenow (Potchefstroom, Northwest South Africa)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I haven't actually experienced the DVDs, so I can't comment on it specifically, but hear me out. Also, these two are *always* thought of together, so here goes: I've watched both The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile more than once before reading the books. If I *have to* pick one movie as my all-time favourite, it would be The Shawshank Redemption. The book is really brilliant, but I'm of the opinion that the movie did the unthinkable and actually improved on it. In my mind, the situation is reversed when it comes to The Green Mile. Although the movie is really brilliant, the book is better. Maybe the reason is that The Green Mile doesn't get the words and ideas as Stephen King uses them into the movie as exceptionally successful as The Shawshank Redemption. Still, both of them are worth every dollar and every minute (and I'm able to say this even after seeing Shawshank about 8 times and Green Mile more than 3)!


2 excellent movies based on 2 excellent stories   June 22, 2005
hi
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

These movies are a masterpiece and are some of the best movies ever. In the Green Mile, John Coffey played by Michael Clark Duncan is accused of killing two young girls. He is then sent to a penitentiary with Paul Edgecombe played by Tom Hanks as the boss of it. Edgecombe knows though that Coffey is special and unique and after Coffey starts doing miracles, Edgecombe doesn't know what to do.
In the Shawnshank Redemption, Tim Robbins plays a man who is wrongfully accused of murdering his wife. While then he encounters Morgan Freeman's character, and learns the atrocities of life in prison. He gets abused there and desperately tries to find a way to escape.
Both are excellent movies and both will touch your heart. But the green mile has to be my favorite and it really touched my heart. These movies will make you cry, laugh, and will be some of the greatest movies that you have seen.


Nice Teaming   March 13, 2006
Ron (Jersey)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

This two pack actually makes sense. Both movies are based on Stephen King short stories, and both take place primarily in prisons. Green Mile has a lot of the King supernatural in it, while Shawshank is a straight drama. Stellar casts for both films. Shawshank is 6 stars in my book, with Mile being a 4 1/2 to 5. You can't go wrong with this for the price if you want to own the movies. There is a fantastic 2 disc special edition of Shawshank if you love the movie and want a lot of extras.