You can't know the impact of this film by watching it...

Rating: Null/10 (2 November 2004)

... it has to be felt.
Look at these comments. People around the world, from India to China to England to god knows where else, have been deeply touched by this film. Yes, some people don't get it. But look at those who do! The religious find God in it. The secular find the best of humanity. Those who were despairing found hope. Skeptics... doesn't that count for something?
Enough has been said about the cinematography, the score, the directing and what not. All those technical things that a film needs to be great. And all those things were great in this movie, in my own, uneducated, estimation.
But that's not why I love it. I love it for what it did to me.
When this movie came out, I was fresh out of college and working my first job in Miami -- some 1,500 miles away from anyone I loved or who loved me. I never wanted the job, in fact, I had to bite my tongue to keep from crying when they offered it. But there was a recession in my industry, so I felt I had to.
In short, I was in prison. We've all been there, at one point or another.
Shawshank gave me my life back. I watched Andy mail a letter a week; I mailed 10 a week -- resumes and portfolios sent to anyone I thought could help me. Every other weekend or so I'd go see the movie. Sunday night I'd put together my resume packets and Monday I'd send them out. Shawshank reminded me that I am the captain of the ship, and that I had better get busy living or get busy dying.
In the end, none of those resumes got me what I wanted. I wound up leaving Miami on my own after eight months (but I swear, it seemed like I'd been there an eternity...) I don't know that I'd have been able to do that -- or do it that quickly -- if Shawshank hadn't come along.
I'd like to say that what I learned from Shawshank stayed with me always, but I can't. I forget. I let myself feel trapped. But then I pop this DVD in, and I remember: You are never imprisoned. You always have options. You're always in control and there's always hope.
So, to paraphrase Red, you doubters can go on and stamp your "1" or "4" rating on Shawshank if it makes you feel good to be a naysayer. I don't give a damn. I know firsthand the power of this film. It's changed my life, just as it has the lives of so many others.