No finer story-telling in the movies!

Rating: 9/10 (24 May 2001)

I've never been in the military, I've never been in prison. I read books and watch movies. When I meet people who know the inside of either institution, I ask them, "Is such-and-such a movie accurate?"
Whether "Shawshank" is accurate or not, I cannot find out! My friends who know prisons don't watch movies! But "Shawshank" is cinema storytelling at its finest. If you love a good story, and can handle some of the rougher things in life, this is your movie.
The choice of Morgan Freeman for the narrator, Red, was inspired. But I'm beginning to wonder if casting Morgan Freeman is ever less than inspired at any time, for any part. His warm voice and gentle accent is impossible not to listen to. I think that voice could keep your attention reading the dictionary aloud. His face is always interesting. If Morgan Freeman is in a movie, I'm willing to give the movie a chance.
This is the second Tim Robbins movie I ever saw. And this is quite a departure from his "Nuke" LaLouche in "Bull Durham". His performance is intelligent, understated, intense. He is a great movie actor--he doesn't need to speak to communicate volumes.
But the real star of "Shawshank" is Stephen King. He has become the premier storyteller of our day. He puts words together to make magic like no one I've ever read. And his stories translate so well to the screen. "Stand By Me" proved it. "Shawshank" confirms it. All hail, Stephen King!
If you haven't seen "The Shawshank Redemption", do so. Maybe, like me, you'll be looking to buy the video for your small collection of movies to be seen over and over again.