The Green Mile (1999)
Paul Edgecomb didn't believe in miracles. Until the day he met one.
A supernatural tale set on death row in a Southern prison, where gentle giant John Coffey possesses the mysterious power to heal people's ailments. When the cell block's head guard, Paul Edgecomb, recognizes Coffey's miraculous gift, he tries desperately to help stave off the condemned man's execution.
| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 10 December 1999 |
| Genre | Fantasy, Drama, Crime |
| Director | Frank Darabont |
| Starring | Tom Hanks, David Morse and Bonnie Hunt |
| Runtime | 189 min |
| Rated | R |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 6.8/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 78% · Metacritic 61/100 · IMDb 8.6/10 · TMDB users 8.5/10 |
| Budget | $60 million |
| Box office | $287 million worldwide |
Where to watch The Green Mile
The Green Mile is streaming on Tubi in the US.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 15 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
What kind of watch this is
Frank Darabont’s 1999 adaptation runs 189 minutes, a duration that suggests patience. It places a gentle giant named John Coffey on death row, where his power to heal ails not just bodies but the soul of the prison. Tom Hanks plays the guard who watches this miracle unfold, a role that trades skepticism for grief. The film leans into the quiet horror of institutional cruelty, using fantasy as a lens rather than a distraction. It is a slow burn that asks you to sit with the weight of empathy. The magic here is not the spectacle; it is the silence after the spectacle ends.
What the critics said
Critics found the runtime both necessary and exhausting. Rotten Tomatoes lists a 78% approval rating as of January 2026, while Metacritic sits at 61. Roger Ebert appreciated the extra time to feel the passage of prison years. Lisa Schwarzbaum noted that the director lets grand gestures linger. Not everyone agreed with the pacing. Kirk Honeycutt argued the film buries a simple story under self-importance.
How it did with audiences
The Green Mile spent $60 million to make and pulled in $287 million worldwide. In the United States and Canada, it opened at number two behind Toy Story 2, then finished first for the week. It stayed in the top 10 for 10 weeks but never held the top spot for a full weekend. Audiences on IMDb rate it 8.6/10 as of March 2026. TMDB users give it an 8.5.
What came next for the cast
Tom Hanks arrived with the weight of Saving Private Ryan and left with Cast Away. David Morse moved from The Rock to World War Z. Bonnie Hunt jumped from Rain Man to the Cheaper by the Dozen franchise. Michael Clarke Duncan shifted from A Night at the Roxbury to Sin City. The credits list the titles, not the cause. They map the path, not the push.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched The Green Mile.
Read more: The Shawshank Redemption · The Silence of the Lambs
Sources
- The Green Mile on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q208263 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “The Green Mile (film)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
Watch it without paying for the whole year
Binge Boss tracks the movie you are on and tells you which services you need this month, and which you can cancel.
Add The Green Mile to your list