Reasonably good...but far too clichéd to be called "great"

Rating: 6/10 (31 August 2000)

This movie is a fine way to spend 140 minutes, but is by no means a movie of the first rank. The script is far too simplistic, cliché-ridden and predictable. The characters are far too good guy/bad guy dualistic; and for a story purporting to take place over the course of 20 years, there is remarkably little character development. And, just about every really evil character gets his comeuppance, whereas the people we're supposed to be rooting for end up in clover. Hmmmm....
Among prison movies, Cool Hand Luke is better--more realistic, and without the obligatory Hollywood feel-good ending. Runaway Train and Papillon are also very good, certainly more interesting. Among inspirational movies, last year's October Sky is a better bet.
In a nutshell: tremendously overrated, but certainly worth seeing.