One of my five favourite movies of all time.

Rating: 10/10 (12 January 2001)

The Shawshank Redemption is one of the wisest and most touching films I have ever seen. It tells the tale of the friendship between two convicted murderers: Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) and "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman). Many things make this a good film: its genuine depiction of prison life, the wonderful performances from Robbins and Freeman, the great music from Thomas Newman. For all of these qualities, The Shawshank Redemption is worth seeing.
What makes the film great for me, though, is the way that in its depiction of prison life, the film becomes an existential display of how most of us live our own lives. ***SPOILER AHEAD*** Throughout the film, we are confronted by how people choose to accept their freedom. Brooks, the old librarian, who has been in prison for almost his entire life, becomes scared of the freedom he enjoys, and can not take it. The same fate almost befalls Red, but his redemption comes as he is able to accept the unpredictability of his life, and draw inspiration from Andy. The film rings absolutely true, I know many people who are too afraid to chase after their own dreams, and would rather stay in a mundane yet predictable and secure job. "Prison life consists of routine, and then more routine," Red says in the course of the film. So, I imagine, do many people's lives. The Shawshank Redemption is about breaking away from the routine, taking risks, and going after your dreams without compromise.