Beautiful in its restraint.

Rating: 10/10 (24 March 2000)

Being the cynic that I am, it's my inclination to look for the weaknesses of films that ultimately detract from their overall quality. How refreshing it is that, on occasion, a film is so masterfully crafted that I can simply take in all that it has to offer. Such is the case with _The Shawshank Redemption_.
And with _The Shawshank Redemption_, it isn't an issue of the excellence of the different components of the film; instead, it's an issue of the way that all of the elements of this movie-- the writing, directing, and acting-- are so vastly superior to those of most every other film.
It's difficult to imagine two things more cliched than "Prison Dramas" and films about "The Triumph of the Human Spirit." Though _The Shawshank Redemption_ certainly qualifies as both of those cinematic cliches, there's nothing about the film that seems even the least bit tired. The unique characters of Red and Andy Dufrense bring an unexpected liveliness to a film that could have easily been both obvious and trite-- such as _The Green Mile_.
Because of the intelligently-written screenplay, with its engaging plot twists and historically appropriate dialogue, coupled with truly remarkable performances by both Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman that convey all of the depth and honesty of their challenging characters, _Shawshank_ improves upon the repeated viewings that are necessary to take in all that it has to offer. The unparalleled depth of this movie allow the viewer to gain something new-- and something ultimately positive-- from each additional viewing.
Perhaps the greatest achievement of _The Shawshank Redemption_ is the restraint that director Frank Darabont uses in unfolding this multifaceted story. When approaching a film with even a fraction of the thematic load of this one, most directors simply succumb to the too-easy temptation to tack a didactic, heavy-handed morality statement onto the last sequence. Darabont attains a rare closure; he _doesn't_ moralize. He allows the viewer to make his/her own judgments about each of the characters and the fate that he ultimately meets over the course of the film.
RATING: 10 out of 10. In a decade, _The Shawshank Redemption_ will be grouped into the cinematic canon alongside such triumphs as _Citizen Kane_ and _Dr. Strangelove_. It's not an unmerited distinction. An example of truly flawless filmmaking.