Brilliant and Moving:

Rating: 10/10 (25 June 2004)

This is a love story, as old as the hills and yet with freshness that can only be given to us by great Celluloid actors such as Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins. There are many examples of this throughout literature and the adaptation of this from word to film is breathtaking.
Andy and Red quite obviously have a deep and abiding love and respect for each other that transcends any feeling we might otherwise have about the nature of their love, which incidentally is not a homosexual love.
But let us not forget the other performances. How wonderful to see James Whitmore as Brooks Hatlen and of course the brilliant William Saddler. It would have been too easy to slip into a prison melodrama but I think it was played perfectly by having Red narrate throughout, the two most wonderful pieces of narrative are where Andy plays Mozart over the prison loudspeakers and where Red sits in his cell, fearful and alone in the dark on the night of Andy's escape.
'Some things are just too beautiful.' 'Time draws out like a blade.'
I guess that encapsulates the whole thing for me, because it's how time draws out while watching this beautiful picture. The blade cuts you to the heart because you long for Red and Andy to fulfil their hope.
If I could, I would give this more than 10 out of 10 but I cannot. Instead I'll just say that this movie will give pleasure to people when played as an oldie in 50 years, because the story is timeless. No special effects, no fancy graphics, just a simple story, beautifully told and acted superbly.