Set in a prison, but about triumphing over any adversity

Rating: 9/10 (20 October 2002)

An excellent tale about enduring incredibly adversity and eventually triumphing. The incomparable Morgan Freeman sets the tone as narrator. This should not be seen as a "prison" movie, even though it is set in a prison. Tim Robbins, as the other major character and the man whose trials rival those of Job, is a good everyman. When this film was nominated for a lot of Oscars, Kathie Lee Gifford made a great show of ridiculing its title (on "Live with Regis and..."). She hadn't seen the movie and would probably be embarrassed to be reminded of the episode.