Brilliant. Moved me in a way I never thought possible.

Rating: 10/10 (30 August 2011)

Im not going to sit here and go into a deep explanation of what this film is about, because that has been thoroughly explained in many of the other reviews. What I will say is that The Shawshank Redemption is without any doubt the most amazing film ever written. The acting is tremendous, the story is original, and the movie itself has a deeper meaning to it. This movie is not about the hardships of prison, it is about the importance of friendship and the realization that hope is your greatest aspect. This piece does not focus as much on Andy and his great escape from Shawshank, but more on Red finding that there is always meaning and a purpose for everything. The story really unfolds when Brooks, an old timer that Andy and Red had been close friends with, is put on parole and released from prison. After confronting the outside world and knowing that he could not cope with it, Brooks finds that he has no purpose outside of life in jail and hangs himself. Later in the movie, after Andy makes his great escape from prison, Red is finally released from Shawshank himself, and is put in the same situation as Brooks. Only one reason marks the fact that Red himself didn't commit suicide. That reason is Andy. Red figures out that he does have a purpose outside of prison which is to see his best friend again and to "give him a handshake". And as the movie comes to a marvelous ending, that hope to see Andy becomes a reality.
Overall the best movie I have ever watched and I am glad to say that I will continue to keep watching it again and again and again.