A superb production makes Shawshank a must-see!

Rating: Null/10 (6 February 2000)

The Shawshank Redemption is a movie about personal disaster, misery, impossible difficulties, and eventual triumph. In other words, it's about life.
Tim Robbins plays Andy Dufresne, a young banker convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, and sent to the Shawshank Prison in Maine for life. There he meets Red, an older con played by Morgan Freeman. From there on, the movie is viewed through the eyes of Red, and Freeman's moving commentary surfaces during key points in the flick. Most of the movie is about the friendship between Andy and Red, and the different travails they encounter. The two learn about the meaning of hope, and how one must keep going despite the odds.
All this sounds pretty pat and boring, but the movie most assuredly is not. It has a brilliant mixture of brutal violence, gentle lyricism and uplifting moments coming from the most unusual of places. This could only work with a top-notch group of actors. The inhuman actions of Captain Hadley (Clancy Brown) are enough to turn your head from the screen. This is tempered by the relaxed friendship between Freeman and Robbins, as well as the camaraderie inside Red's group; William Sadler as the stuttering Heywood is terrific. James Whitmore is touching as Brooks, the oldest inmate who is so used to prison life that he can't leave. Gil Bellows (Tommy) has a small but pivotal role; his superb performance changes the momentum of the entire movie. And the triumvirate of Brown, Mark Rolston (Bogs), and Bob Gunton (Warden Norton) set the tone of evil in the prison that only the wiles of Andy and the compassion of Red can surmount.
Some critics say that the movie is too slow. It's slow like a baseball game; its leisurely pace is belied by the amount of strategy underneath. An important moment happens in almost every scene, whether it's Brooks crying, Red making a joke, or Andy slyly getting the best of the system, the end gradually creeps up on us until the surprising, heartwarming finale. The last scene is one of incredible cinematic restraint; the camera actually pulls away from the action, preventing us from seeing the expressions on the characters' faces. We strain to see, not because we need to know what they are feeling--we already know. We just want to see as much as we can because it is so wonderful.
I haven't said much about what happens in the movie. Let's just say that it shows how one's mind and knowledge are more powerful than concrete walls, mental intimidation or physical force.
The Shawshank Redemption was not seen by as many people as it should have been, undoubtedly because of its un-sexy title. Don't be turned off. It's one of those movies that can draw you in and give you a lift, no matter what kind of mood you're in. It's one of the most satisfying movie experiences I've ever had. See it.