One of the best films ever made.

Rating: 10/10 (31 December 2005)

The Shawshank Redemption is an example of magical film-making at its best. When I say best, I really mean it. There are a lot of great films out there, and a lot that make me glad I saw them. But Shawshank is, above all of them, at the top of the list.
I love this film. Every time any part of it appears on TNT I stay to watch until the end. I just got the DVD on New Years Eve and watched the whole thing through until 12:34 am. It was the most enjoyable thing I could have watched that night.
Every part of the story is engrossing from the very first scene. The film has a way about itself that is uniquely its own. From the way it is shot to the musical score (a masterpiece by Thomas Newman).
Any film enthusiast, writer, storyteller, actor, or human being must watch this film. It is masterfully executed from one scene to the next, pristinely edited, and in so many words...perfect. I myself am a filmmaker and have hard time watching even great films without judging what I consider mistakes scene-by-scene. Shawshank pulls me out of that awareness and into a wonderful story and I have watched again and again. It never stops being great.
As a writer or storyteller I have the utmost respect for Mr. Daramont as well as Mr. King. The dialog throughout the film is understated and magnificent. There are more than half a dozen classic, memorable scenes that I consider iconic from this film. And to top it off, the performances from all the actors, specifically Mr. Freeman and Mr. Robbins, are timeless.
If you have not seen The Shawshank Redemption please make a point to make sure you do at some point soon. It is one of the best films ever made.