"Shawshank" captures a little piece of what it is to be human

Rating: 10/10 (12 July 2008)

Sometimes it takes watching a two-hour film set in a prison to understand part of what life is about. At least "The Shawshank Redemption" has me convinced that's the case. This movie is one that does all the little things right and ultimately lets the story do all the talking--a story of hope and finding meaning, purpose and motivation in life or sometimes quite frankly, to live.
Writer and director Frank Darabont, who is the unquestioned king of adapting Stephen King prison stories and turning them into touching motion pictures, debuts here as a director who has an understanding of when to leave excessive artistic tinkering out of a film. Having created this outstanding screenplay, the script and the images flow seamlessly together throughout this film, so much that even the big moments feel naturally styled. He uses dark and light contrasts and some repetitive images to create a slightly fluctuating monotony to the prison life and those are the only "tricks."
The story is that of Andy Dufresne (Robbins), convicted to Shawshank Prison in the opening minutes of the film to life x2 for the murder of his wife and her lover. The film then shifts to the narrative of Red (Morgan Freeman) who has been a con at Shawshank since he was very young. While the film focuses on what happens to Andy in this vortex of inhumanity, what you don't realize is how the story is really about Red and what Andy makes him realize. Andy is a smart and clever guy and most of the first hour of the film is about how he brings some humanity to the prison and a mentality that is not common in a place with guys serving life terms.
Robbins was definitely ripped off on an Oscar nod. Its not that he blows you away with his dramatic skills, but it's that as you watch him you never once question his integrity as a character. Sometimes being that believable should be worthy of an Oscar, not just over- dramatic talents or actors playing unique roles. Freeman, however, gets his nod and that was also deserved. If I could have anyone narrate my life, it would be Freeman.
The second hour of the film turns it into a bit of a thriller as the warden (Bob Gunton) turns corrupt and begins to test Andy's limits. While many films do this, what makes "Shawshank" special is that you figure things out just as they are about to happen, which is satisfying. It's not too early that you think it stupid, but it doesn't come out of nowhere either. This hour of the film picks up the pace and brings it from just a depiction of prison life to something special and it's crucial to making the film as enjoyable as it is.
"Shawshank" is not one of my favorite films, but it's the kind of film I could stop and watch every time it's on TV just because of its prevailing positive attitude. While it is so dark, it is so positive and motivating as it give the benefit of the doubt to those who do wrong. It's unforgiving, but then it becomes redeeming. The way it makes you conform to a prisoner's confined mindset and takes you out into the real world in just snippets that seem just eye- opening like the scenes in the grocery store can give you a whole other perspective on life. That and the script just writes itself out exactly as you know it should. Rarely does a film leave you as satisfied as this one does. While it might not be an artistic masterpiece of cinema, it is truly one of the greatest stories Hollywood has ever told.