Fear can hold you prisoner, hope can set you free

Rating: 10/10 (25 August 2016)

This is without a doubt still my absolute favourite film, ever. It's a film that I can always be in the mood to watch, whether I'm feeling high or low due to the unbelievably victorious ending. The entire film is beautifully shot, with no need for any special effects and it does so well based solely on the story itself, the phenomenal acting from Tim Robbins, as Andy Dufresne and Morgan Freeman as Red.
The basis of the plot, for those who haven't seen it (where have you been hiding?!) is Andy Dufresne, a successful banker, is accused of double homicide of his wife and her lover and sent to Shawshank prison for two life-sentences in the 1940's. Shawshank prison is full of corruption and when evidence that can prove Andy's innocence is discovered, even this can't help him escape the walls, so he must find an alternative.
My personal favourite scene is when Andy finally escapes the prison, after digging through his cell wall with a rock hammer, crawling through 500 feet of sewage pipes and coming out the other end with the wardens forged accounts. Andy stands at the end of the sewage pipe with his arms raised looking up to the sky, finally feeling free.
Andy is also my favourite character in the film, and Tim Robbins earned his place as one of my favourite actors after this role. Andy is known to be a quiet, calm man - wrongfully accused and locked up, trying to get through day-to-day of his sentence. Tim Robbins never raises his voice above a whisper, is softly spoken and this lends itself to your feelings and sympathy for Andy from almost the very start of the film. His relationship with Red is a thing of beauty, showing two men from different backgrounds - one actually guilty of murder - becoming close friends with mutual respect for each other.
There is no part of this story that isn't incredible, the film doesn't drag for one moment and you genuinely want more when the credits roll up.
The film is based on the novella by Stephen King 'Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption'.