A Review of The Shawshank Redemption

A Review of The Shawshank Redemption

Where to start with the Shawshank Redemption? Much has been and will be said about this movie. Some have argued that is the greatest movie ever made; and in this writer’s opinion that opinion is not far off. Tim Robbins stars as successful banker Andy Dufresne who is sentenced to life in prison for viscously murdering his wife and the golf pro she was having an affair with, a crime he claims not to have done. Andy arrives at the prison and has to contend with many unsavory figures such as the vile and corrupt Warden Norton played with perfect sliminess and self-righteousness by Bob Gunton, the brutal and murderous captain of the guard Hadley as seen in Clancy Brown’s career-defining performance, and psychotic prison “Sister” Bogs Diamond brought to the screen with intense horror by Mark Rolston. Unlike many stories the Shawshank Redemption does not follow one plotline but instead several that charts the years Andy spends at Shawshank State Prison and his budding friendship with fellow prisoner Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding. Red is played by Morgan Freeman that would cement his legacy as a narration icon due to the impeccable writing by director Frank Darabont as adapted from Stephen King’s Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption as well as Freeman’s famously rich voice. While that may be what the character of Red is known for it is not what makes him great, Red is a fellow long-term prisoner who has developed a smuggling ring in the decades prior to Andy’s arrival and has a conscious that hangs lower than others. A recurring joke in the film among the prisoners is that no one there is guilty, that is to say, no one there confesses to committing the crime that sent them there. This is with the notable exception of Red “the only guilty man in Shawshank”.

In many ways Andy is the perfect protagonist, he is smart, level-headed, and meticulous but he is also emotionally broken and guilt-ridden. No one would ever want to be in Andy’s position, but everyone would want to handle the situation the way he does. Andy’s entrance into the prison causes a stir because not only is he extremely well-educated compared to the other prisoners, but he also refuses to let his situation define him. He still collects and sculpts rock, he finds ways to continue his career by handling taxes for the prison staff and he still finds time to be a decent man. Among the main cast, there are a plethora of side characters who provide some much-needed comic relief like fellow prisoner and member of Andy and Red’s group Heywood played by William Sadler. As well as the late arrival Tommy Williams portrayed by Gill Bellows who brings some excellent drama and closure to Andy’s story in the final hour. Then there’s James Witmore’s Brooks Hatlen, arguably one of the most important and heart-breaking characters in fictional history. The movie’s tagline says it all “Fear can hold you prisoner, but home can set you free.” The Shawshank Redemption is a film defined by its likable protagonists, its contemptible villains, and its myriad of side characters who flesh out the dark and dingy world of Shawshank State Prison.