The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Director: Frank Darabont

Writers: Frank Darabont, based on a short novel by Stephen King

Stars: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler, Clancy Brown, Gil Bellows, Mark Rolston, James Whitmore

Falsely given a life sentence for the murder of his wife, bank manager Andy DuFresne (Tim Robbins) befriends fellow lifer Red Redding (Morgan Freeman) and astounds his fellow inmates with his resiliency and sense of self-worth. 

His financial skills also make him useful to the prison staff; soon he is acting as a financial advisor to the guards and helping the warden (Bob Gunton) keep track of his illicit gains.

 

The film unfolds at a leisurely pace, as befits a story about men who are serving life sentences. 

Director/screenwriter Frank Darabont does a good job of presenting the monotony of prison life without allowing the film itself to become boring by punctuating the story with little emotional payoffs along the way.

 

Although many of these payoffs are rather conventional movie feel-good moments, I still appreciated the fine work done by the cast and the satisfying albeit predictable conclusion.