Shawshank - explain, please...

[amberdreams]

I've been meaning to watch Shawshank Redemption for years, and finally got round to it last night. Now I have to ask - what was so special about it? Seriously, I just don't understand. I've heard people talking about it as a classic, utterly brilliant film, not to be missed, etc etc. And I thought it was ok, it held my attention but didn't engage my emotions at all. Or at least not as much as I'd expected.

The violence and the injustice stung, of course - but I'd been much more moved by the Green Mile, and a hundred times more invested in Cool Hand Luke.

So I'm left wondering - why do people love it so much/rate it so highly? What did I miss?

Comments

[dear-tiger.livejournal.com]

To add my voice to those above, yup, also didn't care much for Green Mile (I hardly remember what was happening there, caught on TV recently and couldn't be bothered to watch), but I love Shawshank. It doesn't make me cry, but then again, not many movies do. It's in my head as one of those well-done movies, where there is a good story and good acting, characters I like, scenes that make me happy, and it's moving at just the right pace. Doesn't make me cry, doesn't touch me emotionally, but glues me to the TV effectively every time.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

"Doesn't make me cry, doesn't touch me emotionally, but glues me to the TV effectively every time." Yes i suppose that is what my reaction was - though I wasn't glued, just attentive, and I wouldn't go out of my way to watch again. Once was enough, I reckon.