# What were your feelings watching (or reading) The Shawshank Redemption? (possible SPOILERS)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-feelings-watching-or-reading-the-shawshank-redemption-possible-spoilers/655106>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 7, 2013, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-feelings-watching-or-reading-the-shawshank-redemption-possible-spoilers/655106 "2013-04-07T22:05:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-feelings-watching-or-reading-the-shawshank-redemption-possible-spoilers/655106/41 "2013-04-10T15:48:40Z")

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Never saw the movie, but really liked the novella. I never wondered either way about Andy’s guilt because it didnt seem all that important.

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**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-feelings-watching-or-reading-the-shawshank-redemption-possible-spoilers/655106/42 "2013-04-10T17:29:53Z")

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> [@RickJay](#):
>
> I find the movie’s being at the top of the IMDB list so baffling that I honestly wonder if there isn’t some sort of monkey business going on. I base this on the facts that:
> 
> 1. While is is a good movie, it’s not the best movie I’ve ever seen, or even one of the 200 best movies I’ve ever seen, and
> 
> 2. I have never in my entire life met someone who thought it was their favourite movie, or who thought it the best movie ever. In fact, in discussing great movies, I don’t remember it even making it into the conversation.
> 
> Anyway… in the novella it is unambiguously the case that Andy Dufresne is innocent. I thought it was pretty clear in the movie, too.

Its ranking and popularity are easily justified:  
[ul]  
[li]It has TWO happy endings.[/li][li]It was a sleeper hit on DVD; people felt in-the-know for liking it.[/li][li]It is engaging and surprising, and the surprise feels _earned_.[/li][/ul]

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**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-feelings-watching-or-reading-the-shawshank-redemption-possible-spoilers/655106/43 "2013-04-10T21:51:05Z")

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I can’t say I know many/any folks who’d call it their favorite, but I know plenty who’d call it among their favorites – and moreso that probably any other single movie I can think of.

Shawshank would definitely be in my top 10 list of “mainstream” movies. The story is extremely well-told. It’s not a “slice of life” about midcentury prison, it’s a very traditional story about friendship, kindness, and overcoming adversity. Great visuals, solid acting, perfect mix of pathos and humor, no small dose of suspense, little surprises all along the way, and one of the most satisfying, well-constructed endings I’ve ever seen. The way Red’s story weaves into Andy’s is exceptionally well-done and still pretty unique.

I’d be hard-pressed to name a fault in the film, if you consider the intent. The only thing I think hurts it is how overexposed Morgan Freeman’s voice has become. At the time, it was perfect. Rewatching, it almost seems generic since he’s done so damn much with that voice since.

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