I shy away from any kind of institutionalized film. Never having been institutionalized, I can only assume that it is the way the films were picked, and I do not normally want to waste my life watching this sort of thing.
However, the opportunity arose, and I have great respect for the main actors, including Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. I was surprised at how well acted this movie is. Even the period costumes and the background music matched so well that you forgot you were watching the movie. Now I guess the only thing left to do is to read the book.
Barring the twists and turns and subplots, this story is basically about two imprisoned men and how they bond over several years, surviving the many institutional foes. The question is not whether they do, but how they find redemption.
I'm glad that I watched this movie till the end, and I suggest that you do the same.
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