Movie Stats:
Released 1994 (Canada)
American, in English
Director - Frank Darabont
Stars - Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman
Plot Summary:
Over the course of nearly twenty years, Andy Dufresne (Robbins) and Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding (Freeman) form a tight bond of friendship while in prison.
Warnings:
Heavy blue language; violence; very minor gore; rape (off-screen); sexy times (brief, no nudity); brief reference to drug use (marijuana).
Bad Stuff:
The only true quibble I have is that it all wraps up in a nice little bow that seems a bit too neat.
Good Stuff:
I feel like it’s difficult to put your finger on what makes this movie so good. It’s got a great script with a solid story, excellent dialogue, a clever twist, and an ending that will please you unless you’ve got a heart made of stone. Plus, for a movie largely set in prison, it’s weirdly wholesome. Sure, there’s all these bad things that happen, but in a way you don’t even notice because of all the good things that Andy does. It’s like, “Yeah, there’s prison rape, but this movie makes me feel so dosh darn good!” Both Andy and Red are extremely likable characters. (Actually, most of the prisoners are.) You find yourself rooting for their happy ending, no matter what they might have done in the past. The acting is great, I enjoyed the cinematography, and while the score is a bit 90s schmaltzy, I found I rarely noticed it because I was so engrossed in the film.
What makes this a good movie? Pretty much everything.
About the Performance:
This is Morgan Freeman at his finest. Red is a professed murderer (the movie never tells you who his victim was). This should make him inherently a bad guy but you never feel that way about him. Freeman imbues Red with so much warmth and humanity that, even before he declares his feelings toward the end of the film, you get the sense that this is a man who regrets a rash, youthful decision. If Red had the chance to do it all over again, he would’ve made a different choice. Even if you’ve never committed a terrible crime, I think that’s someone practically anyone could find relatable. Plus, Morgan Freeman’s voice improves any film.
Other performances of Freeman’s I’ve reviewed: Million Dollar Baby; Unforgiven; Driving Miss Daisy.
The Verdict:
I think it’s pretty obvious that I like this film. It had been quite a while since I’d last seen it, so I thought, “Maybe it’s not as good as I remember it being.” It is. In fact, it’s even better than I remembered. The subject matter isn’t always easy, but in the end, it’s a heartwarming story that makes you feel good. Hands down, an all-time favorite.
I give it 4.75 stars.
2 comments:
I've only seen this once and I liked it. It's also a story that stands out in its pre-movie form. I read it in the compilation Different Seasons, which also contains the story that would become the movie Stand by Me.
Both of those stories really stuck with me, and had great movie adaptations.
Fun fact: All but one of the four stories in Different Seasons has been adapted for a movie. Apt Pupil came out in 1998. And the last one "The Breathing Method" looks like it might have a 2020 release.
I've always theorized that Stephen King's short stories make far better movies than his novels do. I've never seen "Apt Pupil," but I've heard good things, and I love "Stand by Me."
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