Brilliant

Rating: 10/10 (20 February 2004)

The greatest travesty ever to happen at the Oscars, I feel, was the fact that Forrest Gump totally dominated this film cum Oscar night. For one year, two at a stretch, people still felt Forrest Gump to be the superior film, but now nearly everyone knows the truth.
The Shawshank Redemption is a truly wonderful film. Having two fine actors in the leading roles at the top of their game is not bad, having two fine actors is not bad, full stop. This film was made by the chemistry between Freeman ( Red ) and Robbin ( Andy ) and their respective characters. There were some great small roles in the film, none more so I felt than Gil Bellows part as the cocky small-time thief, Tommy, who turns out to be a very important character in the film.
On the writing front, Stephen King isn't known for his screenplays, let alone a non-horror work, but he delivered a wonderful story for this film. It is basically a story of friendship and hope, but it is not like other soppy buddy-buddy films. It is violent at times and touching at others, it is basically a fantastic piece of work.