The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption, 1994
The Shawshank Redemption (Two-Disc Special Edition)



This is one of those movies that because I wasn't even 10 years old at the time, I feel like it's not as bad or big of a deal that I haven't seen it. I know that's not exactly the best excuse, but based on the cover alone, nothing about it really draws my attention.

This is also a great example of a movie that is on my list, as part of the 365 Movie Challenge, that I've only heard people say, "it's a great movie" but they have never really said more than that. Which makes me wonder if I'm going to like the way the movie ends. I have a little bit of a nervous energy about the movie. I'm excited to finally see it and I'm anxious about watching it and then trying to write about it, if it truly is a movie that after seeing you can't explain why you enjoyed it.

After having watched the movie:
(Possible spoilers below)

To all of those people who have told me how great The Shawshank Redemption is, you were absolutely right. Although after watching the movie, I don't know that it's really too hard explain which aspects of the movie allow this one to stand out against so many other movies. I think the thing we like the most is the story. It's a story where we get to root for the underdog, a man who has been wrongfully convicted and has no hope left of ever regaining any part of a normal life again, and then sharing in his triumph as the story ends.

Final thoughts: It's a different kind of "feel good" movie than The Blind Side, but it's like Forrest Gump.  Whenever it's on TV you just know it's what you're going to be doing for the next 2.5 hrs.

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