Once in a lifetime movie

Rating: Null/10 (28 February 2005)

An excellent movie that can surely move you a bit. It throws open the question that can we really have prisons which are redemption centers in the true sense. At the same time, it redefines the word criminal. Are the heinous acts committed by administrative authorities justifiable by any means. There should be a code of conduct for the authorities and a HOLY PRISON MAINTENANCE BIBLE if any reformation has to take place. The movie goes through several touching incidents and may bore you a bit if you rarely sees serious touching movies and are fans of slick sci-fi thrillers moving at extraordinary pace like Matrix etc. However the exceptional acting by lead stars particularly by Morgan Freeman and the picking up of the tempo in the second half will leave you gasping for more. After Citizen Kane, Casablanca & Godfather, it is another classic that will stay in the echelons of the movie rating lists for long. There are a few weak points though. There was insufficient attention given to some characters and movie portrays just one side of the whole story not remaining fair to the prison authorities. And finally if it was told in a non-linear tale then it would have been much more interesting