The Green Mile

Above all a cracking good yarn that earns its laughter, its wonder and its tears.

As Darabont directs it, it tells a story with beginning, middle, end, vivid characters, humor, outrage and emotional release. Dickensian.

As Darabont directs it, it tells a story with beginning, middle, end, vivid characters, humor, outrage and emotional release. Dickensian.

There's almost too much there, but the three-hour-plus film permits the kind of detailing that not only brings the storytelling to life, but sometimes persuades us we're breathing to its rhythms.

Excessive, but I, like Mr. Jingles, can't resist the Christmas-season cheese.

Excessive, but I, like Mr. Jingles, can't resist the Christmas-season cheese.

Well acted by an ensemble that leans toward equality for all, Mile carries its long running time extremely well.

There's almost too much there, but the three-hour-plus film permits the kind of detailing that not only brings the storytelling to life, but sometimes persuades us we're breathing to its rhythms.

Well acted by an ensemble that leans toward equality for all, Mile carries its long running time extremely well.

From its deceptively easygoing beginning to the heart-wrenching finale, The Green Mile keeps you wonderfully high above the cynical ground.