The Shawshank Whimpering

Rating: 6/10 (24 March 2002)

Have watched the thing twice and frankly I still don't have a clue what the fuss is all about. There's hardly anything special about the movie, let alone breathtaking, intriguing or groundbreaking. The beginning is somewhat promising, but pretty soon it all gets painfully predictable right down to the moment the credits start rolling. The narrative is way too often overdrawn and phoney, the music - heavily pretentious and irritating. The performances are not bad, but let's face it - the script is far from demanding. The storytelling is overwhelmingly fairytale-ish and even the drastic bits seem oddly out of the place, as if thrown in to make the thing feel more dramatic. Words keep flowing in abundance, soothingly creating the impression of a nap story told by a lit fireplace. Having recently watched the ingenious "The Straight Story" I was astonished to see how much damage may be done to a picture by putting in too much talk.
All that is not to say the movie is appaling. However, an inch above average is as good as it gets. Both "Midnight Express" and "Escape From Alcatraz" beat the weepy Shawshank experience hands down. 6/10.