Freeman, in particular, is exceptional. His performance is so unshowy it can easily go unnoticed, but it's the soul of Shawshank.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:56
Fresh:49
Rotten:7
Average Rating:8/10
Theatrical Release:17-09-2004
Synopsis: In writer-director Frank Darabont's THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for the murders of his wife and her lover in the late... In writer-director Frank Darabont's THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for the murders of his wife and her lover in the late 1940s. However, only Andy knows that he didn't commit the crimes. Sent to Shawshank Prison to do hard time, Andy--a taciturn banker in the outside world--has to learn to get by in the brutal, cutthroat confines of prison life. His quiet strength slowly earns the respect of his fellow inmates--most notably, Red (Morgan Freeman)--and even much of the prison staff. But Andy's seemingly stoic acceptance of his unjust imprisonment hides a fierce determination for freedom. This beautifully crafted movie features touching and sincere performances from the entire cast, with an uplifting message about humanity's indomitable spirit and the redemptive value of hope. Based on the novella RITA HAYWORTH AND SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION by Stephen King, Darabont's intriguing adaptation is easily one of the finest films of the 1990s. [More]
Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Clancy Brown, Bob Gunton
Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Clancy Brown, Bob Gunton, William Sadler, James Whitmore, Gil Bellows, Mark Rolston
Director: Frank Darabont
Director: Frank Darabont
Screenwriter: Frank Darabont
Story: Stephen King
Producer: Niki Marvin
Composer: Thomas Newman, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Reviews for The Shawshank Redemption
...a throwback to the kind of serious, literate drama Hollywood used to make.
despite occasional lapses into familiar formulas and stereotypes, this is a first-rate prison drama
When the film’s conclusion starts to unfold, you suddenly realize that this is one of the more inspiring films you’ve seen in a long time – yet you don’t feel the least bit manipulated.
At times poignant, joyful, and terrifying, Shawshank Redemption is an altogether brilliant movie and the debut of an equally brilliant director.
It's a simple story elegantly, cleverly told, not to mention expertly acted.
A passing reference to 'The Count of Monte Cristo' offers a partial clue to what makes this movie compelling.
If the film is perhaps a little slow in its middle passages, maybe that is part of the idea, too, to give us a sense of the leaden passage of time, before the glory of the final redemption.
Shawshank is what might be described as an ethereal prison picture, if that's not an oxymoron.
...itself a testament to overcoming odds. It is sentimental and stereotyped, yet we are able not only to suspend our disbelief but to root for it all the way.
It's an old-school melodrama at heart, sturdy and forthright and upstanding, but without a whisper of complexity or wit.
I have not read Stephen King's novella (his first non-horror), but some of the movie's deficiencies, such as the old-fashioned morality tale and portentous messge about camarderie and redemption--must have been in the source material.
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