Shawshank Redemption (1994)

"Two thumbs up!  Siskel & Ebert
"A mighty movie...superbly written and directed.  The Today Show
"...Freeman is simply miraculous, giving the role so much depth, dignity, and good humor that you feel that you've known this man forever.  David Sterritt, Christian Science Monitor
"At times poignant, joyful, and terrifying, Shawshank Redemption is an altogether brilliant movie and the debut of an equally brilliant director.  Marc Savlov, Austin Chronicle
"Robbins and Freeman connect with the bruised souls of Andy and Red to create something undeniably powerful and moving.  Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
"A mighty movie...superbly written and directed.  Today

Editor's Note 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.

	Gil Bellows
	James Whitmore
	Morgan Freeman
	Rob Gunton
	Tim Robbins
	William Sadler
	Frank Darabont - Director
	Frank Darabont - Screenplay
	Niki Marvin - Producer
	Roger Deakins - Director of Photography
	Stephen King - Based On Story By
	Thomas Newman - Musical Score

When an innocent man is sentenced to life in prison for murder, he thinks his life is over. However, despite years of brutal incarceration, his indomitable spirit makes him an inspiration to everyone he encounters.

"I'm a regular Sears and Roebuck"----Red (Morgan Freeman), the man on the inside who "knows how to get things"

"First you hate 'em. Then you get used to 'em. After long enough, you get so you depend on 'em. That's institutionalized."----Red, referring to the prison walls

"The funny thing is----on the outside, I was an honest man, straight as an arrow. I had to come to prison to be a crook."----Andy (Tim Robbins)

Premiere
"...[The pairing of Freeman and Robbins] sparks moments of true grace and emotion..." 04/01/1995 p.145

Rolling Stone
"...Undeniably powerful and moving..." 10/06/1994 p.81

New York Times
"...A slow, gentle story of camaraderie....THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION has its own brand of iconoclasm..." 09/23/1994 p.C3

Entertainment Weekly
"...Extremely satisfying entertainment....[A] provisional masterpiece..." -- Rating: A- 04/07/1995 pp.100-1

Chicago Sun-Times
"...THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION creates a warm hold on our feelings....It is deeper than most films; about continuity in a lifetime based on friendship and hope..." 10/17/1999 p.5

Total Film
"...Robbins and Freeman are superb, the dialogue sparse and poetic..." 08/01/2000 p.101

Apollo Leisure Guide 7 of 10
The Shawshank Redemption is the sort of movie that sneaks up on you... When the film's conclu - Brian Webster

The San Francisco Chronicle 7 of 10
As preposterous as it is appealing, The Shawshank Redemption takes a straightforward, soul-st - Peter Stack

Chicago Sun-Times 10 of 10
It is a strange comment to make about a film set inside a prison, but "The Shawshank Redemption" creates a warm hold on our feelings because it makes us a member of a family. Many movies offer us vicarious experiences and quick, superficial emotions. "Shawshank" slows down and looks. It uses the narrator's calm, observant voice to include us in the story of men who have formed a community behind bars. It is deeper than most films; about continuity in a lifetime, based on friendship and hope...Roger Deakins' cinematography is tactful, not showy. Two opening shots, one from a helicopter, one of prison walls looming overhead, establish the prison. Shots follow the dialogue instead of anticipating it. Thomas Newman's music enhances rather than informs, and there is a subtle touch in the way deep bass rumblings during the early murder are reprised when a young prisoner recalls another man's description of the crime...Darabont constructs the film to observe the story, not to punch it up or upstage it. Upstaging, in fact, is unknown in this film; the actors are content to stay within their roles, the story moves in an orderly way, and the film itself reflects the slow passage of the decades...Watching the film again, I admired it even more than the first time I saw it. Affection for good films often grows with familiarity, as it does with music. Some have said life is a prison, we are Red, Andy is our redeemer. All good art is about something deeper than it admits. - Roger Ebert

ReelViews 9 of 10
With a legion of titles like Pet Sematary, Firewalker, Sleepwalkers, Maximum Overdrive, and Children of the Corn, it's reasonable not to expect much from Stephen King-inspired motion pictures. Adaptations of the prolific author's work typically vary from mildly entertaining to virtually unwatchable. There are a few notable exceptions, however; two of which (Stand by Me, Misery) were crafted by widely-respected director Rob Reiner. While The Shawshank Redemption is not a Reiner movie per se, it is a production of Castle Rock Pictures (Reiner's film company), and ranks among the best filmed versions of any King stories to date. (This statement has not changed since I first wrote it in 1994.)...Unfortunately, following a solid two hours of thought-provoking drama, the movie deflates like a punctured balloon during its overlong denouement. The too-predictable final twenty minutes move a little slowly, and writer/director Darabont exposes a distressing need to wrap up everything into a tidy little package..."Salvation lies within," advises Warden Norton at one point. It is the presentation of this theme that makes The Shawshank Redemption unique. Prison movies often focus on the violence and hopelessness of a life behind bars. While this film includes those elements, it makes them peripheral. The Shawshank Redemption is all about hope and, because of that, watching it is both uplifting and cathartic. - James Berardinelli