It took me while to come around, but this is one of the best!

Rating: 9/10 (20 February 2006)

I rarely post comments on movies unless I, {A) Really love it, (B) Really hate it. This falls in the 'really love' category. The first time I watched this picture, I thought it was great, but much to dark and emotional, and contained unnecessary violence/sexuality. After viewing it 2 or 3 times, I finally understand why this movie is so highly ranked by IMDb regulars, and I also have come to understand why the scenes of violence and brutality toward Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) were included in this film. I also understand why James Whitmore's character Brooks Hatlen behaved the way he did. It was all the nastiness that happened to people we really like that makes the victory complete at the end. 5 years ago I would have called The Shawshank Redemption an overrated, self-indulging unnecessarily dark picture deserving a rating of 5 or perhaps 6 at best. Now that the move is nearly 12 years old, and now that I've watched it enough to finally "get it", I must agree with the masses and score this with a 9+. One of the best movies ever made and certainly the best of the Stephen King adaptations. How could I have been so obtuse?