Tim Robbins is Andy, a banker sentenced to life in Shawshank Prison for killing his wife and her lover, despite his insistence that he is innocent. Once inside, he finds friendship with the con-man on campus, Red (Morgan Freeman). And so begins a very long story about the life inside a 1950's prison.
Did I mention that this is a long story? The narrative stretches about twenty years from start to finish and Frank Darabont is in no hurry to rush through his directorial debut. It's not the longest film I've seen, but at 2:22, it's certainly not short. This is not, however, a negative. The story's passage of time becomes much more real with the added length and there is enough happening that it doesn't drag. The underlying theme throughout seems to be that of freedom - both literally and metaphorically, as Andy does everything he can to remain free, despite his imprisonment.
Despite Andy being the main character, the story is almost about Morgan Freeman's character of Red who is recounting life in prison since the time he met him. Many of the characters introduces are rather one dimensional, but in this case I think that works. Being in prison seems to have reduced most of the inmates to less than three dimensional beings and it is the few that the story focuses on are those who are more determined to be more than a man in prison. Bob Gunton also stars as a suitably hateable Warden.
I thought the whole movie was quite well done. Believable performances, fantastic pacing, an interesting plot, and an ending that avoids cheese and disappointment. Robbins pulls off the character of a man who cannot always be perfectly predictable well, and Freeman is, as always, inspiring.
The Shawshank Redemption is easily a modern classic. If you are like me and just haven't gotten around to seeing it yet, I would recommend you remedy this situation.
***** (5/5 stars)
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