Director: Frank Darabont
Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman
Rank: 72
What is it about corruption that is so tantalizing to us? Why are we so drawn to scandals?
The Shawshank Redemption is one of my favorite films. There are so many elements of life packed in to this movie. The characters never give up on the hope of life, for one, and make the best of their situation. Red and Andy become good friends while in prison and Andy brings a new life to the inmates. He's an interesting man who is wrongly convicted to begin with, but later becomes a crook while in prison. The warden and his guards are the ones who are really corrupt.
In a way, it is something that we all dream about. A good man is given the raw end of a deal after a little bad luck, while paying for something he didn't do being punished by people who get away with evil things, but gets his justice in the end in such a powerful way. We've all had a time where we were screwed over with no redemption. Seeing those who get away with wrongdoings get their comeuppance in the end is always satisfying.
The most remembered line from the film is when Andy says "It comes down to a simple choice: get busy living, or get busy dying." It took Andy years of work to get his justice, but he never just sat back and gave up hope. In life, we need to be proactive. If we just sit back and do nothing but complain about the negative things in our life, then nothing will ever change. When we take action in our life, we get results. I have this posted on my wall to inspire me to be positively proactive in my life: "If you want it, you must work for it. You can't get what you want without sacrifice. If you stay the same, then your situation will stay the same. You can have it all if you put your blood, sweat, and tears into it. Nothing is impossible- give it all you've got!"
Trivia:
• Tim Robbins was in another of the top 100 movies that I've already watched for this project: He had a small, non-speaking role in Network as one of the assassins at the end of the film.
Movies to Go: 85
Side Note: I just want to say thank you to all of you. I've been dealing with a painful medical condition in my jaw and it has been completely exhausting me. I appreciate your patience and understanding of the delay between the posts! I'm starting to feel much better and the doctors I've been seeing are really helping, so there will (hopefully) be no more breaks between the posts!
