"The Shawshank Redemption" Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying

     Look, sometimes you'll hear about films from before your time, films that are so highly rated but when you put them on and actually watch them you're just left wanting more. You're sitting there confused wondering if you were simply born too late to appreciate the movie and where it came from, but when it comes to The Shawshank Redemption, I truly believe this film deserves all of the hype it gets, and more. I think I can say pretty safely this is one of my favourite films of all times. It just hits all of the right notes, it doesn't need to be so intense you're offput by watching it later, dare I say it's perfect? Let's talk about it.

    Where do I even start? Maybe with the plot. I think in my mind I would describe this film as feel-good, not in the sense that it's like most other easy-going feel-good films. I mean it's longer than most films in this category, and that's because it's not just smooth sailing the entire way, but that doesn't necessarily mean it becomes depressing too. Don't get me wrong there are sad scenes, but the film does just enough to make you feel the weight of the stakes, to remind you that this film does indeed take place in a prison, and it paces itself so well. And through it all, you're just constantly reminded of Andy, and his refusal to be beaten down, of the indomitable human spirit, of hope.

    In that sense, I suppose you could almost describe this film as feel-good, because it's about this universal experience to try and keep your head up, and make the best out of your situation, even if it's literally in prison. I mean I suppose the only knock I can imagine people trying to give this film is that it's too convenient. Everything goes too well for Andy, and to that I say a lot of life is about luck. I mean Andy was wrongly convicted and spent decades in prison all because of luck, some of the first lines in the film are about how the facts were just "all too convenient" for Andy. I mean I wouldn't say it's too much for me to suspend my disbelief, and in the end this film wants too have a happy ending, it wants you to cheer for people who have been disenfranchised. 

    I'm struggling to find things to say because I just think the film's that great. It doesn't need characters like Red or Andy to constantly be yelling or having these high intensity moments of emotion, the characters are soft spoken and trying to tread water, after all this film takes place over a span of decades, they'd burn out so quickly if that was the case. It doesn't need any message more profound to the viewers than to hold onto hope, because sometimes that is all you will have. 

Final Score: 100/100

    Yeah this is kind of easily one of my favourite films of all time. I remember watching this pre-covid on my phone ages ago as a teenager, and the film feels just as strong still. I really do think it might be as close to as perfect as a film can get. Like I said in the beginning, it just manages to hit all the right notes and do just enough to keep it still feel-good while also making sure that you can really feel the struggle that characters like Andy and Red are going through. The music placement is tasteful, the cinematography is good and I must admit Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins act their ass off in this film. Bravo, truly Bravo.