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Overall Rating
  Awesome: 82.74%
Worth A Look: 9.87%
Average: 2.69%
Pretty Bad: 1.35%
Total Crap: 3.36%
5 reviews, 416 user ratings
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| Shawshank Redemption, The |
by Godfather
"Probably the best Stephen King adaptation ever."

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It is no secret, especially to the billions and billions of people who read my movie reviews daily (ok, ok, semi-annually when I actually write them), that I am not a big fan of the Stephen King movie adaptation. The books are too complex and too brilliant to be encapsulated by the greedy and shortsighted idiots that run Hollywood movie studios. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that this is a Castle Rock production (Kings own production company) and, as a result, the adaptation is carried out with pains-taking care, producing a magnificent adaptation of the novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) first comes to Shawshank prison, a maximum-security prison, in 1948. He is a 30-something vice-president of a local bank who has a very successful career ahead of him until he is imprisoned for the cold-blooded murder of his wife and her lover. This is not made any easier for him given the fact that he is innocent of the charge. It is here that he meets Red (Morgan Freeman) the man who, in Shawshank, can get you just about anything, within reason. Andys life is anything but idyllic in Shawshank. There are sadistic guards, even more sadistic homosexual rapists, a corrupt warden, and the endless boredom and lack of hope. Yet, even through all this, Andy does not give up hope. Despite the inhuman conditions he always manages to find some joy or humanity in a desolate situation.
Now dont forget, this is a Stephen King novel. There is no magical happy kingdom here. Andy has to do hard time. Although, once his formidable financial talents come to the attention of the warden, they get a little easier. In prison, Andy is able to run a small financial empire for the warden, keep the spirits of his fellow inmates alive, and dream of the day that he will be able to escape and buy a boat for cruise fishing on a Mexican beach. As I said, this is a Stephen King novel so anything is possible. Maybe there is a happy ending and maybe there isnt. Either way, its going to be a rough ride.
Thank God that Castle Rock Entertainment exists. This allows actors like Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins to explore the nuances of the characters that they are playing and to bring them to the screen exactly as if you were reading the book and getting their very thoughts. The film stays faithful to the plot development of the novella and makes only the smallest of changes when it enhances the story telling. This is a film that talks to you about hope and the ability of the human spirit to conquer all adversity. It also has some great drama, action and, humour that should satisfy the most critical of moviegoers.
Shawshank Redemption is an entertaining masterpiece that every Stephen King fan, and every fan of excellent cinematography, should see.For Hollywood BitchSlap, Im the Godfather.
del.icio.us
link directly to this review at http://efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=1011&reviewer=142 originally posted: 07/03/01 23:28:27
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USA 23-Sep-1994 (R) DVD: 05-Oct-2004
UK 17-Feb-1995 (15) DVD: 19-Oct-1998
Australia 16-Feb-1995 (MA)
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