If you ask film critics or journalists what they think is the best movie, you’d hear some surprising choices like Citizen Kane, Tokyo Story, A Space Odyssey. I bet they won’t mention The Shawshank Redemption, even though it’s been a staple in the top 250 on IMDb for quite some time.
Everyone has seen The Shawshank Redemption, but the reasons for such a large-scale cult of this film are not obvious. This picture could have become another pass-through film. Actually, everything was heading towards this, given the low box office receipts in the first days of release. Only some people wanted to watch a heavy drama about prisoners in the cinema, even with not-so-famous actors in the lead roles then.
Fortunately, people started telling each other that it was not depressing but an inspiring story about reliability and faith in the best. As a result, in 1995, Frank Darabont’s work was nominated for seven Oscars. The film failed to win a single statuette, but he won the people’s love.
In this article, I try to figure out the film’s phenomenon about the most famous escape in cinema history. And why, even 30 years after its release, it tops the list of 250 best feature films according to IMDb.
Summary.
Frank Darabont directed The Shawshank Redemption, a classic American drama inspired by Stephen King’s story. The film revolves around Andy Dufresne, a banker who ends up in Shawshank State Prison for a crime he didn’t commit—the murder of his wife and her lover. It explores powerful themes such as fate, freedom, hope, and resilience.
Even if you set aside the amazing cast, script, music, and cinematography, many reasons exist to consider The Shawshank Redemption the most fantastic film ever.
Why is The Shawshank Redemption so liked?
Andy becomes what everyone wants to be but, for some reason, can’t.
The film tells us two stories: about redemption and hope. If the first and most important concerns Red, the second relates mainly to Andy. With his arrival, life appears in the prison – where everyone has long since begun to exist. Imprisonment ceases to be torture.
Andy finds beauty in a place where it couldn’t possibly exist. He constantly repeats that you can find beauty in everything if you look closely. Yes, sometimes you have to spend a lot of effort and do hard work, but if it leads to a better life, it’s definitely worth it. Andy tries to show other prisoners that nothing is lost for them and that they have reasons to remain hopeful.
Andy values his good deeds more than the penalizing he will receive for them. He is ready to be punished for taking liberties, such as playing music or drinking on the roof while working. The choice between “get busy living or get busy dying” is obvious to him.
Unobtrusive philosophy.
The Shawshank Redemption is a movie that anyone can appreciate, whether you’re an older person or a young college student, because it does many things well. It’s a true representation of American film and is considered one of the most universally relatable movies of the 20th century, connecting audiences from China to Europe to Mexico. And, of course, Stephen King is among the best writers of that era.
It is one of those rare movies that hits you in the feels every time you see it. Even though it’s longer, I still love re-watching it. The film has many meaningful ideas that stick with me, and instead of weighing me down, they just make life a bit brighter.
Plus, Andy’s character is so relatable that one thinks this could happen to any of us. After all he had been through, he never let the corrupt system win. It was easy to cheer for Andy.
Good and evil.
In contrast to Dufresne, Darabont shows the prison warden, Samuel Norton, as a greedy dictator who does not tolerate objections. He recruits Andy to circumvent the law for personal gain. He evokes disgust and hatred in the viewer, but without him, it is impossible to reveal the characters of Andy and Red. Frank Darabont uses a classic technique: to see the good, you must show the bad.
The director’s idea was to show that every action has consequences. In the end, the rotten system of imprisonment must be destroyed. For this purpose, the film shows the jailers as cruel and merciless so that the viewer finds Andy’s actions—the theft of money and the boss’s incrimination of murder—justified and understandable.
Friendship.
I think one of the reasons this picture is still popular is that it can be considered one of the few original films about a strong friendship between two men that does not contain car races or typical friendly banter. This story is about two individuals seeking to get to know each other under difficult circumstances, and they succeed.
This union looks quite unusual. The heroes have different skin colors, are of different ages, and are in prison for a reason. One is innocent, and the other is. Nevertheless, trust immediately arises between them, and they carry their friendship through the decades.
Red and Andy started getting to know each other better daily while they suffered fear and horror from humiliation in Shawshank prison. Such friendship is indestructible; it saved them, which is why Shawshank is still popular after over twenty years. As Tim Robbins says, viewers can always find qualities such as perseverance, sincerity, and the ability to stay strong in the film and apply them in life.
Shown on TV.
The popularity of The Shawshank Redemption grew yearly, primarily due to television distribution. TNT, a basic cable television network that bought the rights to show the film from Castle Rock Studious for next to nothing, began showing it in 1997. Soon, viewers noted that it was difficult to turn on the TV in America without seeing this picture. Also, I must add records in video rental, VHS, and DVD sales. King’s main film adaptation turned out to be a triumph on the small screen.
Today, The Shawshank Redemption can be considered the first sign of a new TV drama, an ideal film for streaming, which, ironically, was released first on the big screen. It’s similar to those beloved Christmas movies that continue to resonate with audiences.
Only IMDb users voted for this movie.
The IMDB movie rating is based on votes from users of this website. It is important to note that most of them are white men, and it is problematic to see a comedy or melodrama at the top of the site. By the way, the film The Godfather held first place for a long time.
The folks using this site are mostly regular people who don’t dive into art-house cinema or film festival lineups. Many IMDB users tend to stick to a pretty narrow range of movies. But hey, I totally get why some people voted for this film; I think it’s one of the best out there.
This film gives hope.
But the most crucial point in my article is that The Shawshank Redemption, for all its gravity, is a pretty good movie. It is a movie that gives hope for salvation. All the other Godfather, Dark Knight, or other movies from the top 250 – they tell a story, each one its own, but none of them gives hope. But this one gives it, and very beautifully and effectively. And hope is a lot. People need it.
This film pushes you to action with a good example – the main character tries to bring maximum benefit in the place where he is here and now, namely serving a life sentence for a crime he did not commit.
It is a very therapeutic message!
ALSO READ IF YOU LOVE DRAMAS
Real Lives, Real Emotions: 24 Dramas Based on True Stories.
Final words.
What attracted you to The Shawshank Redemption? Maybe you would call another picture the best in the history of cinema?
Share this blog post if you enjoyed it. I would appreciate it!
Thank you for diving into the fascinating topic of “Does The Shawshank Redemption Deserve Its IMDb Crown?” The way the movie resonates with so many viewers speaks volumes about its impact and timeless appeal.
One of my favorite movies! Great review.
This is one of my favorite movies! So timeless- I can watch it over and over
Shawshank Redemption is one of my all-time favorite movies. I loved your review and it threw out different perspectives which I hadn’t considered. I know what I will be watching tonight!