“These prison walls are funny. First you hate 'em, then you get used to 'em. Enough time passes, gets so you depend on them. That's institutionalized. They send you here for life, that's exactly what they take” (Ellis Redding)

How do you escape fate? What is there left to live for when the law, a dependable structure, malfunctions and its guardians further magnify the miscarriage of justice? What do you do in a place when decency and introvertedness seems to invite scorn and punishment? The shaw shank redemption is a movie that attempts to answer all those questions and gives us an insight into captivity of body and soul and its release.

Released in 1994 this film became an instant favorite with the critics, propelling Tim Robbins to fame and an Oscar after many hard years in the industry. Over a period of time it has become iconic and set an example for various prison related movies, soap operas to follow. Case in point being prison break, where a falsely accused man bides his time until circumstances impel him to make a run for his life.

The movie brought to light how circumstantial evidence in the hands of a skillful lawyer can be touted so as to hang like a noose around an innocent mans neck. The ‘hero’, a wronged man, is falsely accused of committing a double murder and subsequently sent to shaw shank prison.

It is here that we are shown the character of the victim. Instead of admitting defeat to his multiple life sentences or acting like a powerless and desperate man, he takes things into his own hands and tries to change the places around him through subtle, proactive measures.

“get busy living or get busy dying” (Andy Dufresne)

He realizes that his education and skill as an accountant give him powers over other people, powers that he uses wisely, never betraying his true intent and purpose till in one final bold stroke his absence is discovered with a flourish. The execution of his plan is calculated; a carefully planned act, like that of folding origami which through a series of unrelated events, eventually reveals itself as part of a structured getaway.

Along the way he is helped by various people. Ellis Redding (Morgan Freeman), a parole denied inmate and ‘the prison smuggler’ procures anything he wants from outside, including the rock hammer with the help pf which Andy chips away to life and Female Celebrities posters with which he hides the hole in his wall. Tommy Williams, a new inmate, tries to help him, identifying the real killer whose crime has been placed on Andy, but is murdered by the warden.

Written (rights to story bought from Stephen king) and directed by Frank Darabont, the movie focuses on the how people retain their compassion and humanity even in the most depraved circumstances, no matter how badly they have been treated. Andrew "Andy" Dufresne, despite the cruelty meted out to him, finds it in himself to help those around him with their tax problems, letters etc, setting a chain of events in motion that eventually lead to him securing his release.

Although it didn’t make major box office bucks at the time of its release, however over the years it has become a classic, with a cult following.

Tim Robbins perfectly fit his role of an easy going, mild mannered accountant who is twice deceived by his faith in the law and in his wife, who is caught by him with her lover; hence the jury assumes that he is guilty of murdering them both in the heat of the moment.

With 7 Academy award nominations, the movie is a deeply moving depiction of how a man comes to terms with his inner turmoil and carves out an escape and a favorable reputation for himself, despite all the odds not being in his favor. It also brings to light the racketeering going on inside prisons at the expense of prisoners, by cutting labor costs and hiring prisoners instead and denying useful and skilled prisoners their chances for appeal and acquittal, in order to keep their money laundering business undercover and thriving.

The background score is poignant and relevant to the scenes portrayed and the cinematography is well executed. Morgan Freemans presence adds a powerful appeal to the film, and his voice over is immensely gripping, specially as he shares a touching bond of mutual respect and understanding with Andy. The suspense built up in each scene is brought to a final crescendo with the final images that bring relief and understanding to the viewer with its happy ending, escape from the prison, exposing the tyrannical and manipulative warden and reuniting with his friend Redding.