30 years ago, the world met banker Andy Dufresne in “The Shawshank Redemption.” Based on a Stephen King novella, “Shawshank” stars Tim Robbins as Andy, a banker wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife and her lover. Andy heads to Shawshank State Prison, where he will serve two consecutive life sentences. Once Andy gets off the bus, he soon meets Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding (Morgan Freeman), a popular inmate and a man who knows how to get things. Over the next 20 years, Andy and Red will form an unlikely friendship as they both search for absolution.
With excellent performances, a high approval rating, and a hopeful ending, “The Shawshank Redemption” has become one of the most popular movies of all time. However, that wasn’t the case upon its release (more on that later). Written and directed by Frank Darabont, “Shawshank” is an example of a film that continues to age gracefully thanks to its universal themes of resilience and redemption.
