A drama about the life of Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) after he is sent to Shawshank prison for the murder of his wife and her lover. There he befriends fellow prisoner 'Red' (Morgan Freeman) who narrates the film with several voice-overs. An ordinary man in such a situation would be crushed by despair but Red relates that Andy was no ordinary prisoner. Although prison is a kind of hell, even in a completely unforgiving and corrupt system with an evil warden and dangerous fellow inmates, he doesn't lose his spirit. Andy makes the best of the situation and can even claim small victories while serving time. Most important (for a Hollywood film) Andy doesn't lose hope. Red initially sees Andy's efforts as futility and leading to inevitable disappointment, but over time Red develops great admiration for Andy. The Shawshank Redemption is almost the perfect Hollywood film and told well enough to touch even the most jaded viewer, with an ending that brings the ultimate cinematic catharsis.
By: Sugnuf_Cloud