Rating: 
Summary: The movie's better than the title, I guess . . .
Review: . . . but that's not saying a heck of a lot, as *The Shawshank Redemption* vies for the honor of being The Worst Title In Movie History. (And it's an IMPROVEMENT over the title of its source, a Stephen King novella called *Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption*!)...But I'm here to talk about Darabont's movie, not a work of art. So whadda we got, here? It's episodic in the extreme: the narrative doesn't "flow" so much as it drops, like cinder blocks, in separate but not exactly-related pieces. Tim Robbins drinks and smokes in his car that's parked outside the cabin where his wife and her lover, a tennis pro, are otherwise engaged. CLUNK. Robbins is blamed for her murder, and is sentenced to life. CLUNK. First day in Shawshank State Prison. CLUNK. Treated like a "sissy" by an inmate gang called the *Sisters*. CLUNK. Morgan Freeman's Red, the inmate who runs a small contraband ring, is denied parole. CLUNK. Robbins asks Red for a large poster of Rita Hayworth (the movie begins in the Forties). CLUNK. Robbins gets recognized as a sort of financial genius (he was a banker on the outside), and is recruited by the Warden and the guards to do their taxes for them. CLUNK. Robbins builds a prison library. Five years go by, seven years, twelve years, all with updated pin-up posters and side-stories of various other inmates. CLUNK, CLUNK, CLUNK. You know this will all (or almost all) tie in together at the end, but in the meantime you have to endure the lack of narrative flow, the moody piano music, Tim Robbins' colorless and nearly inaudible performance (he practically whispers every line), a crew-cutted prison warden who is predictably ... Needless to say, much of the movie could've been trimmed, if only to disguise the lethargic pacing... In terms of tone, it starts with many scenes of explicit brutality and rape that seem more concerned about impressing us with "realism" than about serving any immediate narrative function. Growing increasingly sappy as it moves turgidly along, the movie finally ends with a moment that, while moving, is equally manipulative. Rather sums up the movie as a whole. The 2nd Star of my review belongs solely to Morgan Freeman: once again, he brings dignity and complexity to a movie that's direly lacking in either.
Rating: 
Summary: Incomparable masterpiece
Review: Unlike Frank Darabont's more recent efforts, "The Shawshank Redemption" is near perfect. Not only the pinnacle of the prison film genre, it's one of the best films of all time. Everything works here: the screenplay is stunning; the performances flawless; it looks great, sounds great; and at 142 minutes it's perfectly paced. A film spanning two decades of developing friendship needs to be long, but Darabont unwinds his tale with such consummate skill that your interest never wanes. In fact, it keeps growing. He makes us feel for Andy, Red and their fellow cons, so their quest for dignity and survival becomes our own. The vignettes mix comedy and violence, striking just the right balance between hope and despair. It's never allowed to stray into self-indulgent mawkishness. For raw emotional power, the climax and denouement are almost unrivalled; and the themes of hope and self-determination will stay with you forever. If you can get your hands on a copy of Darabont's screenplay, read it. I picked it up the other day in search of a character's name. When I looked up, two hours had passed and I was on the final page with tears in my eyes. It's that good.
Rating:
Summary: Shawshank is Redeeming
Review: I have watched the Shawshank Redemption more than 10 times. I haven't gotten tired of watching it yet. This movie is amazing and the story of two men who meet up in an unlikely place in an unlikely way makes me feel hopeful that such moments will happen for me. Andy and Red are the most mesmerizing pair of friends that anybody would want to see. Andy has the faith and hope of young children with dreams of becoming presidents and kings/queens. Red has wisdom and just enough hope in his friend Andy to barrel through any obstacles.The loss of innocence and freedom are common themes found throughout movies, literature, and life. Shawshank brings these major themes into focus allowing the audience to hope and dream with the characters. Even the supporting characters carry a magical life of their own. This has to be one of the best book-based Stephen King movies made. If you like good movies you'll love this movie. It even has Rita Hayworth for you classic fans.
Rating:
Summary: A 'must see' and a 'must have'...
Review: This is not only a 'must see' movie, it is a 'must have' for any DVD collection. When we first purchased our DVD player, and sat down to create a list of movies that we had seen and wanted to own, this was at the top of the list. I have lost count of the number of times I have watched this DVD. Whether I am viewing it with someone who is seeing it for the first time, with someone that has seen it before and wants to see it again, or by myself, it is always a worthwhile experience. To me, this is not a 'prison movie'. It is a movie about the human spirit. I enjoy movies, and have many DVDs. Some movies are purely entertainment, and that's fine. I enjoy being entertained. But this is one of those special movies that goes beyond entertainment...that reaches out...that is timeless... This is a movie about strength, frailty, survival, understanding, and compassion... but most of all, it's a movie about the human spirit.
Rating:
Summary: A testimony to hope and friendship
Review: Although this movie contains all the usual prison cliches - wardens who are related to satan himself and in-mates who you should definitely never put your back to, this film is head and shoulders above every other prison movie I have ever seen. The reason this film is ALWAYS quoted on the 10 ten best movies ever made is the sheer humanity of it. "Start living or start dying", its about never giving up hope, the power of friendship and about getting what you deserve if you have the strength to reach out for it. If you don't own this movie, buy it today! I challenge you to get to the end with out a tear in your eye.
Rating:
Summary: Realistic Look at Life In Prison
Review: This one isn't for the squeamish. Typical story of innocent man accused of murder going to prison, then it all becomes very realistic. Tim Robbins does a very believable and effective job in this film, as does Morgan Freeman, as the con long denied parole who finds that being brutally honest can be a good thing. Not recommended for younger viewers, as there are several disturbing parts, but a great film for mature viewers.
Rating:
Summary: An undisputed classic
Review: Frank Darabont's classic prison yarn based on a Stephen King novella (that is well worth reading) has only gained its fame retrospectively. Failing at the box office it has since become a classic among modern movies. The story has wealthy banker Andy (Robbins) jailed in Shawshank for the murder of his wife and her lover. Whilst there he makes friends with Red (Freeman), the 'man who can get things'. This is one of those rare films where the story isn't really at the forefront of the picture. Rather Darabont takes his time to introduce us to his characters and build up a realistic and touching friendship between the two Shawshank lifers. This is a movie that tackles with such tricky themes as hope, friendship and freedom of spirit and pulls them all off in spectacular style. Never resorting to schmaltz or unnecessary violence this hits you in all the right places without ever putting a foot out of place. In fact, for a prison film this is surprisingly tender, proving once and for all that this is a genre that can have a wide appeal when done right. 'The Shawshank Redemption' also benefits from fleshing out the plot of the original novella (which is only just over 100 pages) by drawing out several characters into some genuinely moving storylines. Of particular notice is a young Gil Bellows (who most will probably recognise as Billy from 'Ally McBeal'), as an aggressive youth who wants to get some qualifications. There's also the story of the librarian . Of course, what holds the movie together most of all are the performances by the two male leads, who both give the performances of their respective careers. Whilst never becoming mushy they both act out beautifully the depth of the friendship and the deep desire for freedom to perfection. . This established Darabont as one of the most exciting new directors around and remains one of the best movies of its genre ever made. Almost universally liked, 'The Shawshank Redemption' will not disappoint.
Rating:
Summary: The Shawshank Redemption
Review: I really enjoyed this movie, because I felt like I could relate to the way some of the characters were feeling. They made you feel like you were experiencing the same things they were going through, which means alot to me.
Rating:
Summary: My all-time favorite movie
Review: The first time I saw this movie, I went with a couple of friends because it was at the... theater. To be honest, I really didn't even know what the movie was about because it was in and out of the first-run theater quickly. The acting is this movie is excellent! You really feel for the characters played by Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. The movie takes the viewer on a wild ride of emotions - mostly sadness and compassion, but in the end is very uplifting and positive movie. I highly reccomend it to everyone!
Rating:
Summary: Wow, a classic
Review: First off it's simply the greatest movie I have ever seen, literally. The movie is slow but, dramatic; calm, but powerful; scary, but beautiful; nice, but sad. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freedman are two of the greatest actors this generation has ever seen. This was not a commercially made move, has no target audience and just feels like a classic.
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