My 1st Review : The Shawshank Redemption

Bingo's Rating : 4.1/5

Red & Andy 's Growing Relationship

Some days ago i lost my faith in IMDB ratings......but after i watched this one last night(wanted to watch it long back),i regained my faith in the ratings.....A 9.2 rating in the IMDB 's list of Top 250 Movies....and yes Redemption has the 1st position.....
Adaptation of Stephan King's Novella ( 'Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption'),actually part of his Book "Different Seasons"......and its not the usual King stuff with all the horror!!!
The movie is centered around two main characters - Andy (played by Tim Robbins) and Red (played by Morgan Freeman).Set in the Late 40's,the movie starts with Andy sitting in the front seat of a car,drinking some type alcohol straight from the bottle and eventually taking out a revolver and some bullets wrapped in a piece of cloth....the scene then changes to a court-room where Andy is being held guilty of killing his wife and her lover with a gun.....Andy claims that he didn't do it,but all in vain......and eventually he is sentenced to 2 life sentences back to back at Shawshank(a prison)....
from here on Red narrates the story(just 10 mins into the movie).he describes the prison,why he is called the "the person who can get anything",and his first view of Andy,when he enters the prison.the story then moves on and shows how the new prisoners cope with their new lives,their hardships,their cells,their leisure time,etc...Andy at start is a reserved type,but as time passes he opens up and gains the trust of the other inmates,guards especially the Captain of the Guards Byron(played by Clancy Brown),the Prison Warden Norton(played by Bob Gunton) and the others.....eventually Andy starts doing the taxes for all the guards,warden,and others,he sets up a big library,educates the inmates,carves chess pieces from stone,and passes more than a decade in Shawshank......90 minutes into the movie,the story changes colour....
and the real deal kicks in.......and that's the part one really enjoys...the last 45 minutes of the movie-the turning point,the chance of 'HOPE'.....(that part u guys have to watch,that's the beauty of it ;-) ) .
Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman fit perfectly into their roles,its like it was tailor made for them.. . .throughout the movie,their bond of friendship increases and one actually gets the feel of it..The Warden is a Bible abiding man (and tells the prisoners to do the same too),but he has different layers beneath him,just like an onion.....and the captain of the Guards is damn cruel!!!! some scenes are very touching,especially the one in which an old inmate who has spent 50 years in Shawshank gets parole, but he is reluctant to leave the place - they call him "Institutionalised".........and the old man's life in the outside world after that , is really moving.....(in case u forget,his name is Brooks).another scene that add's effect is Red's repeated rejection of parole during his tenure in Shawshank.....A special mention towards the performance lo the Prison Warden Norton,watch out for him..and the young gun prisoner who has a small role in the flick....

Mr.Brooks

Though the movie initially starts on a slow track,it makes up for it towards the end,especially during the last 50 mins of the runtime.This movie was released in 1994,directed by Frank Darabont(the director's first film).Though the movie wasn't a financial success ,it got the much required critical acclaim and 7 Oscar nominations(didnt win any due to Hank's Gump) including Best Picture & Best Actor(Morgan Freeman) Nominations....this director made 3 more movies after this,2 of which were adaptations of Stephen King's Novels-The Green Mile and The Mist....
My only regret after watching the movie - - 'Why Didn't i watch this earlier?' But Better late then Never........
Those 136 mins were enjoyable!!!!!!!Recommended!!!!!!!! a good holiday watch.........



IMDB Chart of Top 250 Movies :http://www.imdb.com/chart/top
IMDB Page :http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111161/
Trailer :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYSt1FjGOVA