The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

AFI Top 100: 72

Nominee

What can anyone say about a movie that has a 9.2 approval rating on IMDB? And yet somebody explain to me how this triumph of Hollywood film storytelling failed to pull its weight at the box office? I suppose like many of the great creative contributors of our history it was appreciated after its time. So what is it that makes this movie work? A story that is guided by hope and truth...and some Morgan Freeman narration.

What we have here is a man, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), who has been beaten down in so many aspects of his life and is able to transcend through patience, intelligence, and focus. While doing his stint in Shawshank, he befriends Red (Morgan Freeman), also known as the man who knows how to get things. This friendship along with Andy's own ability to manipulate his situation gives him his final redemption.

This film is done through a very classical style of storytelling. It's true homage to it's content allows the viewer to become engrossed in all the details. And it is in the culmination of these details that this story achieves an effective success.

The actors give us the brilliantly subtle performances allowing us to root for them or hate them. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman are as solid as always, they give the performances we expect. I won't lie if I could pick one person to narrate my life it would probably be Morgan Freeman or James Earl Jones.

Also, like I said, this is done in the classic style, (i.e. invisible style), but in making this decision there is eloquent execution on the behalf of cinematography and editing. They help us see the monotony of prison life and the blurred lines between good and evil through graphic repetitions and associations. They build a world that heightens out perceptions of moral ambiguity.

Overall: A film I had trouble writing about because...what can I say that has not already been said? So go watch, and learn to hope. You will feel triumphant.