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Plot:
Andy Dufresne, a mild mannered New England banker, is convicted of murdering his wife and her lover. Despised at first by the other inmates because of his introverted manner, Andy slowly forges an unl...( read more 
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Recent Reviews
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MCT:August 17, 2008This film is both uplifting and beautiful. A man wrongfully accused is sent to prison to serve a life sentence. However, he doesn't let himself rot in a corner in his prison cell, he becomes very productive. He changes the lives of his fellow prisoners and becomes one of the most unforgettable persons in that prison.
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MCT:August 17, 2008For the life of me, i can't see any possible charm whatsoever in this sentimental feel-good artificial cliche-fest. This is like the alchemist (that cheesy brazilian novel) of movies. It has everything from a wise black guy that helps the good white guy, to the evil prison chief, the impossible escape and so on. I'm not against movies that make you "feel good" but not in a mechanical way. Darabont surely found his little goldmine in this type of stories.
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MCT:August 17, 2008
A beautifully constructed film about injustice, friendship and hope. Gives insight to prison life and how hard it is. In this movie the prisoners are the heroes and the prison gurads and warden are the villains.
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MCT:August 17, 2008
This film can't just be better. Robbins and Freeman were more than spectacular, they were speechesly amazing! The script is perfect without any flaw, the end happens such in a moment that you have to rewind the film and see it, see the incredible surprising end carefully. I never saw a prison film so moving as this one, bye the final credits I was crying like a baby, I loved this movie. The characters are so important every and each one of them, I loved Andy's one so intelligent, mysterious, serious and funny he was superb! Freeman well what can we tell about Freeman he's just a genious and all the others were very funny and essential, I loved Haywoth, I don't know why he was just very funny and the character of Tommy in the middle is hellarious! I suffered with that character. This movie it's just amazingly a masterpiece, one of the best of course one of my favorites too. And as something extra I loved that Andy dreamed place was Zihuatanejo in Guerrero, I use to go there every summer!
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MCT:August 14, 2008
I was actually thinking about this today when Xkcd had the comic about how interesting life would be if Morgan Freeman narrated everything I did.
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MCT:August 14, 2008
Movie of hope and friendship in an adverse environment. Portrays the psychological effects of prison life that are often overlooked because of the prejudice against criminals. "Get buys living or get busy dying."Poignant.
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MCT:August 13, 2008
"The Shawshank Redemption" is a beautiful piece of art. The slow pace of the script and the subtle acknowledgments of passing time offered a perspective into the monotony and suffering of serving a prison sentence. Never before had I been given such a striking portrayal of what being behind bars feels like. The poetic language supported the directing yet did not seem out of place in the story's setting. Finally, the intricacies of the film are not overwhelmed by a Hollywood ending. A masterpiece.
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MCT:August 13, 2008
An unlikely story to turn into a movie, and an unlikely movie that would turn into a contemporary masterpiece, The Shawshank Redemption not only deserved its Best Picture nomination, but it also deserved to win out over Forrest Gump. It's a tour-de-force for writer/director Darabont (The Green Mile, The Majestic), a film so professional in every way, you'd swear that only an acclaimed director with 30 years of experience could have even come close to achieving the heights to which Shawshank attains. The fact that Darabont does so without any flashy camera work or avant garde touches is most impressive. Rather, he employs a more classical style of cinematic storytelling, borrowing many styles from some of the great of cinema, and making them his own, to use as the situation calls for.
Darabont adapts this from the Stephen King short novel, "Rita Hayworth & the Shawshank Redemption," and unlike many adaptations of the prolific writer's work, this one is successful because it transforms the written page into what works best cinematically, which is, after all, the correct way to adapt literature. Tim Robbins (Short Cuts, Tapeheads) plays Andy Dufresne, a successful banker who is found guilty of the murder of his wife and her lover shortly after he has discovered the infidelity. He is sentenced to two life sentences, and summarily shipped off the Shawshank State Prison to spend the remainder of his days. Life is hard for the numbers cruncher who walks with a "silver spoon shoved up his ass," because there's an uncaring warden (Gunton, Patch Adams), a strict head of security (Brown, Highlander), and a gang called the Bull Queers, who make it a regular habit to strip Andy's humanity from him at every opportunity. But there's more than meets the eye with Andy, as they can't kill his spirit, his hope, his dreams, or his talents.
In a film filled with so many strong points, it becomes almost impossible to list everything, so I'll just stick to the main reasons why Shawshank Redemption is the best film of the 1990s. First, there's the aforementioned brilliance of its main auteur, Frank Darabont. Although a relative beginner, Darabont clearly understands how to tell a story, not telegraphing all of the film's main plot points before it's time for us to know them, savoring each surprise until the right time to show us the full story. It would have been very easy to tell this story in a linear mode, but Darabont's patience with the material allows us to not jump too far ahead of the story, creating an atmosphere of mystique that never wears off. Although it's a drama, there is an aura of the fantastic about the story, so that even if some strange coincidences abound, it is well established that extraordinary things can occur in the most unlikely of ways.
Then, there's composer Thomas Newman's (American Beauty, Road to Perdition) gorgeous score, a real masterwork that elevates the film to the heavens with its richness and elegance. It's quite the beautiful piece of music, and unlike many films of this nature, it isn't oversaturated by being utilized in every scene. Newman picks and chooses the right times for the right pieces of music, and allows Shawshank Redemption to gain the profoundness of themes as a result. It's hard to imagine one could improve it.
Lastly, there are the fine performances, with Robbins giving one of his best in a role that requires him to be cold but vulnerable, distant yet caring. Whatever difficulty the role requires must have been greatly influenced by the stellar work by Morgan Freeman (Unforgiven, Chain Reaction) as Red, Andy's friend and mentor in the prison. His performance as the narrator of the film, as well as the main supporting character, could not be better. Red has a strength of mind and soul that others seem to lack, yet he is also human, as apt to fail as any other person in the prison, but his common sense keeps his bacon out of the fire. Although King's original story had Red as an Irishman, Darabont properly goes for what works best cinematically once again, and Freeman is so phenomenal in the role, it's as though he were born to play it.
I could go on further, but I fear I will get down to the terrific job by the second unit director or dolly grip before I'm through, so I'll end it with these. The Shawshank Redemption is brilliant storytelling through and through, with a depth in thematic imagery and symbolism, it transcends being just another prison film. It provides vital inspiration for the heart and nourishment for the soul, letting us know that even amid the most trying of circumstances, hope should never be extinguished. Shawshank lasts two hours and twenty minutes, but its resonance stays with you forever. -
MCT:August 12, 2008
What can I say? This is my all-time favorite movie. The storyline, the plots, the acting and direction are all unbelievably sensational. The movie is a perfect blend of undying hope, friendship, and intellect.
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MCT:August 11, 2008
A Masterpeice! Just Amazing!
To start off with a clean saying, I FUCKING LOVED THIS MOVIE! This movie amazed me every second, every word. I loved it from beginning to end. I think that this may be the best movie ever made. To think that Stephen King, the master of horror, came up with such a delight to watch.
The acting in this movie was just perfect. Morgan Freeman does amazing, as usual, as his charecter named Red. A man who knows all about Shaweshank and is about to make a new best friend who comes to Shawshank for murdering his wife and her lover. But he says he's innocent. He's played by Tim Robbins who also plays an astounding role. Every actor, even the co-stars did excellent in this masterpeice of a film.
The plot of this movie is amazing too! Every thing that happened in this movie amazed me. EVERYTHING! Agian, EVERYTHING! A very compelling story about friendship.
This movie has everything a great fantastic movie needs.
1.A Great Ending
2.A Great Dark Twist
3.Little Humor
4.Action
5.A Narrator
This movie just amazed me. It went right down the list that a great incredible movie needs.
Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman are just amazing. Please watch this movie. It is compelling and amazing! -
MCT:August 8, 2008I don't see what the big deal is, it wasn't that great. I don't like prison movies...I should stop watching them, i suppose. Morgan Freeman was good, as usual. Stephen King's just a werido. I did like the it about them never being able to live outside the institution.
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MCT:August 7, 2008
this is my favorite movie of all time
the performances are utterly spectacular, and the concept is simply brilliant! -
MCT:August 7, 2008
I saw it recently and I loved it. Toutching story and unbelievable ending!
I LOVE this movie. The end is like sooo surprising. You tought you had understand evry thing but then POW! They trow you that in your face! Love it -
MCT:August 6, 2008
Absolutely a must see! If you don't like this one, then you don't root for the underdog. If you don't like this one, then you are....well....retarded.
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MCT:August 6, 2008
While sometimes slow it still finds a way to hold you into the movie. The exchange between cons and guards just goes to show you can't judge people by the enviornment. Sometimes good guy do win, and bad guys can be redemed
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MCT:August 5, 2008
This one suprised me when i first saw it. A great story that is carried by Tim Robbins and morgan Freeman.
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MCT:August 5, 2008
I finally gave in and saw this film! I don't think there's anything new I can add that hasn't been said before, so I'll just say I really enjoyed it and was very moved by it.
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MCT:August 2, 2008A very decent movie; I didnt' think I would like this, but it surprised me & I thoroughly enjoyed it! Excellent performances from Morgan Freeman & Tim Robbins.
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MCT:August 2, 2008
This movie is one of my all time favorites...what performances and what a great story..this is a classic!
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MCT:August 1, 2008
The main character of the story Andy Dufrane...is the shy boy next door who is serving a life sentence in prison for a crime he didn't committ... well while he is serving his sentence at Shawshank prison he starts to do the all the guards warden's taxes and gave him legal advice...and towards the end of the film the warden decides to kill the only witness to the murder of Andy's wife...which would had been Andy's ticket out of prison...so as a way to get revenge Andy is able to escape from prison through a tunnel he had been carving in the wall with a rock hammer for 19 years...and is able to keep the tunnel hidden with posters of Raquel Welch, Marilyn Monroe, and Rita Hayworth ...once Andy is free from prison he Andy assumes the fake identity of Randall Stevens he created earlier for the purpose of concealing the warden's embezzlements, which has a birth certificate, driver's license, and Social Security number. Then by using his fake indentity he withdrawls 370,000 dollars from all the funds he worked on for the employess of the Shawshank, then he send evidence of fruad done by the employees of Shawshank to all the local newspapers, having all the guards arrested and the warden commits suicide.
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MCT:August 1, 2008
Hope is a good thing and nothing good ever dies. Freedom is a thing of the mind and the price is secrecy.
My Friends Said...
The Shawshank Redemption Recent Reviews
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Comments
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maralekozposted 2 days ago -
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Not even walls can hold hope confined.
Shawshank is a tale of freedom, friendship and the bond of overcoming struggle in the face of desperation.
A true masterpiece.posted 58 days ago -
When it comes to these internet discussion forums, I've been institutionalized. If I ever try to make it on the outside, I might end up hanging myself.
posted 62 days ago -
It plants in y0u that particular feeling, which makes really think of life.It's like watching the "25th frame" - y0u don't know what exactly is but it fills y0u.Whatever, great m0vie! :)
posted 177 days ago -
This movie is all about hope. A simple man. Innocent Man.
I cried, I laughed, I was scared...it's an ongoing emotional rollercoatser. One of Morgan Freemans and Tim Robbins best ever. I made this movie my number 1 movie ever. I just love it. A must watch. ~Tposted 187 days ago -
This is definitely my all time favourtie film. The Shawshank Redemption is a very moving story about hope and the power of friendship. The cast is first rate with everyone giving a great performance especially Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. I'd recommend it for anyone. Proof that Stephen King doesn't just write horror.
posted 194 days ago -
o my god.....this movie is awesome.....it passes so many messages for life...tim robbins and morgan freeman's acting is very good...
posted 260 days ago -
we are reading the book then watching the movie in english... i can't wait... does ne one kno if the book is good? lol!
posted 344 days ago
