Not the greatest movie of all time but pretty darn good

Rating: 8/10 (8 June 2009)

At the time of this writing "The Shawshank Redemption" occupies the top spot in IMDb's list of top rated films. I will state right off the bat that I don't agree with that assessment but that doesn't mean that I don't think the film is a fine one.
The story (based on a Stephen King novella) concerns a man sent to Shawshank Penitentiary after being convicted of killing his wife and her lover. Once there he undergoes many hardships but eventually befriends the resident dealer in contraband and strikes an accord with the guards and warden. However, through it all he never loses the hope that someday, somehow he'll regain his freedom.
The cast is commendable. Morgan Freeman delivered the film's best performance and landed a well-deserved Oscar nomination in the process. Tim Robbins was excellent as well, giving one of the best performances of his career. The remainder of the cast is filled out by an assortment of well-chosen character actors. Of these, Bob Gunton & James Whitmore deserve special praise.
The film's production values don't disappoint either though they are undeniably not at quite the same level as the films that critics usually dub the best of all time. Frank Darabont's direction is tasteful, though, and is bolstered by Oscar-nominated cinematography courtesy of eight time nominee Roger Deakins. Thomas Newman's Oscar-nominated score has some memorable moments and provides solid support throughout.
In the end, though, while the film is indeed admirable from a technical standpoint, it is the emotional impact that has made it a favorite of so many. Naturally, emotional responses will vary from person to person but this film seems to hit the mark more than any other. Do yourself a favour and check it out.