Number Two- Get busy living, or get busy dying.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Director: Frank Darabont

Cast: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman

Number two on my list is The Shawshank Redemption, adapted from the Stephen King novel, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.  It follows the life of Andy Dufresne (Robbins), a young banker who is imprisoned for the murder of his wife and her lover and sent to the Shawshank prison.  Here he befriends Ellis ‘Red’ Redding (Freeman) who runs a contraband shop inside the prison, granting Andy all the items he requires including a rock hammer, seemingly for making chess pieces and a poster of Rita Hayworth.

We see the hard life Andy has to put up with in Shawshank, from brutal attacks to rape, but all the time he declares his innocence.  He soon sets up his own business in prison, helping wardens and guards with financial advice and tax returns.  His work also gained new library sources for the prison and he helped prisoners to gain diplomas.  Andy however, was not doing these jobs for the rewards in prison, he was plotting for something much bigger.

I am not going to go any further with the synopsis of The Shawshank Redemption, because I remember the first time I watched the film and I was shocked at how it ended, after all it is a Stephen King.  In my opinion, The Shawshank Redemption is the best prison film of all time, surpassing the Green Mile, Escape From Alcatraz and even the Great Escape.

The Shawshank Redemption is such a heartwarming film.  You instantly feel for Andy and you know he is innocent from the beginning, even if all of the world seems to be against him.  The story is highly misleading, which adds the excitement you get at the end of the film, you can never believe you know what is going to happen.

The film is moving and the friendship forged are genuine, you could be forgiven for thinking this was a documentary rather than a film the acting is so genuine.  There is no action or special effects, The Shawshank Redemption is just a film of hope, friendship and redemption.  If you have never seen it, watch it and I can guarantee you will want to watch it again and again.

Have you seen The Shawshank Redemption? What did you think? Please feel free to comment below.

Advertisement

---