I cannot remember when I first viewed the cinematic masterpiece that is, The Shawshank Redemption, but I do remember the feeling that I had while watching it. My dad and I sat down to enjoy this movie together after he convinced me of its worth. My dad went on and on about how good the acting, dialogue, and story was before we got into it. I’ll never forget what he told me just before he pressed the play button on our TV, “You have to watch it all the way through to realize how good the ending really is.” Safe to say, he was absolutely correct.
The Shawshank Redemption, directed by Frank Darabont, hit theaters in 1994. It was a dark, sullen story filled with heartbreak after heartbreak but it captivated its audience with its complex and deeply intertwined story. I won’t be getting into any spoilers here, just in case you would like to savor the experience of watching it for the first time, but I will get into some of the main themes that made this movie so great. The movie itself takes place almost entirely inside of a prison and focuses on the lives and interactions of prisoners at Shawshank Prison from 1947 to 1967. You quickly become deeply enthralled with the characters, not knowing which ones to trust or even root for. It was a critical success and it is currently still the highest rated movie on imbd.com with a 9.3/10 rating.
The story pinpoints the corruption of the powerful, the power of patience, and, perhaps most of all, the power of hope. How does an imprisoned man deal with the reality of his life being taken away from him? The movie’s answer: hope. I have rewatched this film several times and have noticed a new detail every single time without fail. I was in awe at how masterfully the production team brought everything together and never let the audiences attention stray for even a second. It even made me reflect on how grateful I should be to have the life that I enjoy today. Many lessons can be learned from this film; however, I believe that its most profound lesson of all is that you are not forced to become a product of your environment, but you, yourself, are responsible for creating the reality in which you thrive. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys a beautifully told story and isn’t upset about the possibility of a plot twist…
