REVIEW FILM

“THE SHAWSHANK
REDEMPTION”
• Rating: R (Prison Violence|Language)
• Genre: Drama
• Original Language: English
• Director: Frank Darabont
• Producer: Niki Marvin
• Writer: Frank Darabont
• Release Date (Theaters): Sep 1, 1994 Wide
• Release Date (Streaming): Aug 15, 2008
• Box Office (Gross USA): $27.3M
• Runtime: 2h 22m
• Production Co: Columbia Pictures, Castle Rock Entertainment
• The film, which was directed by Frank Darabont, is about the
friendship between the different races between Ellis Redding aka Red
(Morgan Freeman) and Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) in a prison called
the Shawshank State Penitentiary set in the 1940s. Red was serving 20
years in prison when he first met Andy. Red gets 50 years in prison for
committing the crime of smuggling. Meanwhile, Andy was accused of
murdering his wife along with his mistress, so he received a life
sentence.
• This 2 hour 22 minute film has a dynamic plot and an unexpected
ending. The Robbins team as Andy is able to show Andy's character
development from appearing aloof and gloomy to being unexpected.
Andy is apparently also a mischievous figure as shown in the scene
where Andy plays the opera song so loud that the entire prison
inmates can hear. Red also has a unique background which is
conveyed in this film slowly.
• This film also has a charming scoring from Thomas Newman which
earned him an Oscar nomination in the Best Original Score category
and a Grammy Award in the Best Instrumental Composition Written
for a Motion Picture or for Television category in 1995. Andy played
an opera song entitled The Marriage. of Figaro: Duettino - Sull'ari,
which was performed by Edith Mathis and Gundula Janowit, is still fun
to listen to.
• The message of humanism and the importance of strong hope is
presented in this film. Andy reminds Red several times that even
though prison may be your residence forever, don't feel hopeless. The
emotions of several characters are also touching, such as a prisoner
who has been imprisoned for decades, Brooks Hatlen. He felt unable
to adapt to the outside world when he became a free human.
• Probably, one of the most overrated movie I know. Actually The
Shawshank Redemption is by no means a bad film, its story and
execution are typical of Oscar-class films, but to be named Best Film
feels a bit overkill. I have a problem because this movie is too mellow
and less-realistic for me. But yeah, most people will like it so much.
Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins provide captivating action as the
two main characters, the narrative is very easy to follow and not
boring with simple dialogues that are quite touching, cinematography
and beautiful scoring music.