Deserving of its praise

Rating: 10/10 (31 January 2005)

Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, and is sent to Shawshank prison: For Life. Andy is a very intelligent man, a hot shot banker when he was free, and now he's just a number, at the mercy of Warden Norton (Bob Gunton) and his head guard, Byron Hadley (Clancy Brown).
Andy is a quiet man, but manages to attract the attention of the sisters (Barely Human Homosexual rapists) led by Bogs (Mark Rolston) and he begins his prison life, desperately fighting his admirers, sometimes he'd win, sometimes he'd lose, but he always stayed quiet.
Red (Morgan Freeman) is the man who can get things, and he is Andy's first friend on the inside. We witness Andy's relationships with Red, the Guards, the Warden, the sisters and the rest of the inmates, develop through Morgan Freeman's perspective, but always revolving around Andy. In his time there he successfully wins personal battles, gains favour with the guards and inmates alike, and restructures the rehabilitation of so many with his unwavering persistence and drive.
All the members of the cast are more than adequate, but i have to single out Freeman and Robbins. Freeman guides the viewing audience in an informative and subtle manner, and Robbins, in his finest performance ever, gives us hope and wisdom, as he manipulates the powers around him so cleverly, to make life as easy as he can for all his fellow inmates.
The Movie is very powerful and moving throughout, and it doesn't shy away from the darker aspects of prison life. And at the end when the climax falls into place, you will be left completely satisfied by its unquestionable brilliance.
For those who have not seen this movie, all i can say is watch it.
10/10