Double Random Movie Review - The Green Mile + Green Book

Before we do today's double whammy review, I'd like to pay tribute to another person who sadly is no longer with us. Now most you may hear the name Helen McCroy but not know what she was. Well she was an actress married to fellow actor (and perhaps better known) Damian Lewis and you will have seen her in the Harry Potter films as Mrs. Malfoy and also in Peaky Blinders as Polly among many other great and not so great works of hers. She will be missed even if her name isn't as well known as most. Rest in Peace.
 

So for today, I decided to do a double review. Both films have a few things in common such as sharing "Green" in the name, starring big name actors with a focus on two key characters, winning or being nominated for a number of awards and both having a 78% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. A coincidence perhaps? Who knows, but let's take a look:

The Green Mile

Ahh Stephen King. One of the greatest authors out there being up there with Edgar Alan Poe, Charles Dickens and even J.K. Rowling. Most of you know the name as he has written a number of novels which he would go on to create many miniseries adaptations of. Of course most of us are more familiar with the films that are based on his works because most of them are among some of the greatest and most influential films ever made. Today we look at one that isn't quite as scary as The Shining or It, but is still a remarkable film nonetheless. Multi award-winning Tom Hanks is in this as is the late Michael Clarke Duncan (of which this film was his breakout role) and other well known names like James Cromwell, Same Rockwell and William Sadler. So let's take a look:

In 1999, retired but elderly Paul Edgecomb (played by Hanks) reminisces his time working as a correctional officer at a penitentiary that most would know as "The Green Mile" in 1935. His role would oversee the death row inmates and supervise his fellow officers while reporting to warden Hal Moores (played by Cromwell). One day, his block takes in a physically imposing but mild-mannered African-American man called John (played by Michael Clarke Duncan) who has been given the death sentence for the rape and murder of two young girls. Over time, some of the officers and inmates grow a liking to John when its revealed that he has some supernatural powers that can be used to heal things. But as time goes on and things happen, Paul begins to question whether John really is guilty of his crime and why he has this power of his.

Sometimes to make a great film, you don't need these big set pieces, these visual effects or nothing. Just a solid and impactful performance of the actor is enough to make a film like this great and this is a great film. I always think that any film that Tom Hanks is in is going to be great because he is such a fine actor who does really well with whatever script he is given no matter how bad or good it may be. Plus for the second film I have seen to have the last Michael Clarke Duncan, its kind of nice to see him play a good natured character rather than a villain because it shows that he can do more than just be a big imposing man. So yeah despite the emotional nature of the film, it is a great film. Up there as being one of the best films to be based on Stephen King's work. But word of warning; it does have some upsetting a difficult to watch scenes (though not as bad as Cherry mind you). 9/10

Green Book

It's been a long time since I last saw Viggo Mortensen in anything since the Lord of the Rings films. I guess its because he took time away from the spotlight to do films that wouldn't normally be part of a much bigger franchise because some actors do that. But here we are with one of his most recent films and perhaps the only award nominated film (at least at the time) to be close to being original despite being inspired by well known figures in jazz and bouncers. Let's take a look:

The year is 1962, we are in New York City, and we meet bouncer Tony Lip (played by Mortensen) who is the bouncer for the Copacabana nightclub. When the club closes for renovations, Lip seeks out other employment in which he meets black pianist Dr. Don Shirley (played by Mahershala Ali). Don is in need of a driver for his eight-week concert tour through the Midwest and Deep South. Based on his references alone, he hires Lip and the pair plan out their journey with the intention of returning to the Big Apple on Chirstmas Eve and Lip receives the titular "Green Book" which contains details of appropriate motels, filing stations and restaurants that would serve them. Although they initially don't get along, time goes by, and they soon start helping each other over the course of the film.

As buddy films go, this one is alright. Always risky when a film tackles a very controversial subject such as race and yeah there are a few times when it gets misrepresented and reminds me too much of what happened last year with George Floyd. Also interesting how the real Shirley family felt this wasn't accurate to the real relationship between Don Shirley and Tony Lip. Regardless, I quite enjoyed this film too especially as I'm a fan of jazz and Italian stereotypes anyway. Well performed despite the supposed inaccuracy and has a few moments of charm and comedy despite it being primarily a biographical film. 9/10

Both films while very different are great. Both are very obviously about two key characters both played by well known actors (living or dead) and both films have received tons of awards. Worth at least one watch for sure I'd say.