Throwback Thursday Review: 'The Shawshank Redemption'

Yes, I'm well aware that I still have not posted either my Throwback Thursday Review of Inception or the Triple-R over Interstellar from two weeks ago, but they're coming soon. This review's also a little late because I primarily focused on putting out timely reviews for two of this weekend's major releases The Dark Tower and Detroit. Anyways, this week I kick off my series of reviews over Stephen King adaptations to coincide with the release of both The Dark Tower and It (2017) with my thoughts on The Shawshank Redemption. Fun fact: I have not previously seen The Shawshank Redemption so I'm going in fresh. In case you didn't know, I will be alternating between reviewing Edgar Wright movies and Steven King adaptations for the coming weeks. If you want an idea of what else I'm reviewing for the remainder of August, I intend publishing Throwback Thursday Reviews of Hot Fuzz, Stand By Me, The World's End, The Shining, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World in addition to reviews of new releases Kidnap, Wind River, The Glass Castle, Logan Lucky, and The Hitman's Bodyguard. 

'The Shawshank Redemption' Review

Nominated For: Best Picture, Best Actor; Morgan Freeman, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Sound, and Best Original Score. 

The Shawshank Redemption sees a wrongfully convicted banker sentenced for life in the Shawshank State Prison for the murder of his wife and her lover. Upon arrival, Andy Dufresne meets Ellis Boyd 'Red' Redding, a pleasant procurer of things and fellow "lifer." The two befriend one another to inevitably find inner peace and redemption over their tenure.

People may not realize it, but The Shawshank Redemption actually has a peculiar history. Today, The Shawshank Redemption is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever created. However, Columbia Pictures was unsure how to market it at the time of release due to a vague title, so it barely skimmed the surface of the box office. When the Academy Award nominations were announced that year, The Shawshank Redemption was bestowed a startling seven nominations which caught people's attention and allowed The Shawshank Redemption to thrive on home media.

The Shawshank Redemption was written and directed by Frank Darabont, adapting one of Stephen King's novellas Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption from his 1982 short story collection Different Seasons. It may surprise you to learn that The Shawshank Redemption was actually Darabont's feature film directorial debut, although he'd previously dabbled in the realm of television and started off as a production assistant that slowly, but surely learned the ropes and climbed the ranks of Hollywood. Darabont's direction isn't showy, but you can feel his steady presence in the background ensuring everything goes according to plan. Though, Darabont's greatest accomplishment is how he imbues The Shawshank Redemption with the element of the human spirit.

Darabont juxtaposes a despondent environment with glimpses of hope, something that's perfectly paralleled in Roger Deakens' captivating cinematography and Thomas Newman's spectacular score. The surrounding circumstances are bleak and filled with despair, but there's enough optimism in the little things that everything balances out well tonally. 

One of Shawshank's greatest strengths though is the ambiguous storytelling and exceptional editing. Blanks are purposely left in the narrative, but the story flows smoothly enough that you don't notice the gaps till later on when Darabont revisits these moments. Once the viewer has the additional information, the context of those events carry even more weight that I feel will make The Shawshank Redemption ripe for rewatches.

The performances across the board are outstanding. Tim Robbins communicates a complex portrayal of Andy Dufresne that allows Andy to seem detached from reality, but also approachable as a friend. Meanwhile, Morgan Freeman's able to authenticate Red's shameful tiredness along with the more amiable aspects of Red's personality. William Sadler, Gil Bellows, Clancy Brown, and James Whitmore also throw in some solid supporting turns as Heywood, Tommy, Captain Hadley, and Brooks. Last but not least, Bob Gunton's Warden Norton is the consummate crooked head of Shawshank. Gunton's portrayal projects an outward cleanliness contrary to his inner swindler that fits the character like a glove. 

I'll confess The Shawshank Redemption sat on my shelf of Blu-Rays for many months before I finally watched it for the first time, but I can assure you it won't be too long before I decide to pick it up again and give it a rewatch. I wasn't expecting to admit this, but The Shawshank Redemption actually lived up to the hype. I can't quite say it will join the top of my all-time favorites list, but The Shawshank Redemption is certainly deserving of its classic status nevertheless.

Film Assessment: A+