Movie Time! 'The Shawshank Redemption'

"Framed in the 1940s for the double murder of his wife and her lover, upstanding banker Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) begins a new life at the Shawshank prison, where he puts his accounting skills to work for an amoral warden (Bob Gunton).  During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates-- including an older prisoner named Red (Morgan Freeman)-- for his integrity and unquenchable sense of hope."

This is one of those movies that you could easily see several times.  Maybe it's the thought of getting a second chance in life or taking an interest in something that's yours that makes this movie so enticing.  Whatever it is that draws you in, it's the unbelievable amount of corruption that exists in Shawshank that keeps you interested and causes feelings of incredulous awe and shock.

What I found most interesting was how the prison functioned as a sort of city.  It's not at all like I imagined a prison could be like.

It was amazing to see the amount of effort put in to the play by the men who were forcibly confined there.  Andy's efforts in building one of the greatest prison libraries, putting his banking and number-crunching skills and knowledge to work (for benign and malevolent purposes).

What was startling was the corruption.  People died in this prison, and no necessarily from old age or because of the other inmates, but because of the brutality of the people in charge.  It was horrific and frightening.

This movie is just as uplifting as it is violent and corrupt, but that's only part of what makes it so good.  The characters are excellent too!  Each is so different.  Most claim to be innocent-- that they were framed or wrongfully convicted.  They aren't (all) bloodthirsty.  They're people trying to keep their minds busy in a place that initially didn't allow them to do anything but work, sleep, and read the bible.  Andy Dufresne is relatively quiet, yet outspoken when he needs to be, Red is crafty and honest... those are the two main inmates.  The warden is God-fearing, unforgiving, and under the surface, utterly psychotic.  The guards are sadistic.  There are two opposing sides and they are laid out quite well.

The ending was exciting and uplifting.  It's probably one of my favorites!

You will like this movie if you don't mind film violence, if you love the concept of triumph over evil, and if you like a clever movie.

Thanks for Reading!  There are still many reviews to come!

--Jude