New Hope at Shawshank

Been given a thought for long about writing a blog,

Ideas were many, words were none,

Inspirations were hundreds, expression was none,

In the darkness of confusions came a ray of hope,

Seeking my own redemption for skipping of thoughts,

Excuse became Shawshank Redemption.

Hearing long about the critical acclaims that the movie got, including its IMDB ratings, I began watching  the chronicles on the life of Andy Dufresne at Shawshank Penitentiary in Maine, US. The protagonist played effortlessly by Tim Robbins falsely convicted for double life sentences for murder of his wife and her lover, passes through humiliation and embarrassment in the initial phases of his sentence at the prison. In his initial days of horror in an unknown, murky world, which he thinks as, dreadful dreams start to become a reality when he hears about the screaming of other inmates in the night and sexual assaults by a group of inmates in the day. Through these nightmares comes a ray of hope as Andy befriends Red, an authoritative inmate who is been in the prison for 20 yrs.

The life in the prison becomes simpler for Andy when he helps Captain Headley in avoiding taxation for inheritance by finding loopholes in the system. Headley makes Andy's way to more comfort and also instigates his other colleagues to take his benefits. In Andy's life at prison, lotus was not only blooming in the muddy background but also the bugs also crushed (gang of assaulter)

The days of grapes pass on with the death of old inmate Brookes Hatlen, and arrival of young inmate Tommy Williams. Revelation of Tommy on innocence of Andy creates a series of events starting with non cooperation of Warden, who was not interested in leaving Andy for him using Andy as shield for corruption in the prison. The face off between warden and Andy leads to murder of Tommy and escape of Andy from Prison after 19yrs through a sewage pipe.  

A story of hope and redemption, where Andy finally lives his hope for freedom with dignity by unearthing the corruption, is uniquely directed by Frank Darabont. Effectively adapted from the novel by Stephen King the film engages the audience with the state of mind of the protagonist.

The camera movements and background score create apt ambience for this straight through heart narration, without glorying the prison life. Morgan Freeman gives a veteran performance and his voice as the narrator show a realistic portrayal of the prison.