A great film, but #2?

Rating: 8/10 (8 March 2001)

A great film and one that I shall be adding to my collection at some point, but #2?
One user put it very well when they said that the film's essential message of 'the human spirit conquering all' is very uplifting an' everything but sounds too much like a fortune cookie homily.
There are several films that deliver the same message just as well if not better. Jim Sheridan's "In the Name of the Father" springs immediately to mind. That film has a similar theme to this one (wrongful imprisonment and the struggle to come to terms with it) but is a much better film IMO. What's even more heartening is that it's also true.
Like I said, I'm not dissing the film. it IS great. From what I can remember all the performances are nicely judged (Freeman is excellent, but then what's new?), the direction is perfect because it's so unobtrusive to the story, and the film in general is uplifting. I just think it's nothing particularly new and it has been done better. Maybe my viewpoint is borne out by the fact that it only became a huge success on video release?
I gave it an 8. To me, this fact proves that I love the film, just not as much as everybody else seems to!
I think this adaptation is on a par with the short story, which was also excellent. I honestly can't agree with #2 on the top 250 list though. Is it just an American over-reaction to the movie or is every other nation as awestruck by it? Please feel free to e-mail me for discussion on this, or anything else for that matter.
#2 of 250? I don't think it would make it into my top 50 films.
Ah well, life's all about opinions...