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The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

tomatometer

92

Average Rating: 7.9/10
Critic Reviews: 12
Fresh: 11 | Rotten: 1

No consensus yet.

audience

98

liked it
Average Rating: 4.4/5
User Ratings: 769,577

My Rating

Movie Info

In 1946, a banker named Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is convicted of a double murder, even though he stubbornly proclaims his innocence. He's sentenced to a life term at the Shawshank State Prison in Maine, where another lifer, Ellis "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman), picks him as the new recruit most likely to crack under the pressure. The ugly realities of prison life are quickly introduced to Andy: a corrupt warden (Bob Gunton), sadistic guards led by Capt. Byron Hadley (Clancy Brown), and

R, 2 hr. 22 min.

Drama

Frank Darabont

Jan 27, 1998

Columbia Pictures

Cast

All Critics (61) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (61) | Rotten (6) | DVD (36)

Freeman, who is simply a great actor, a man who has never struck a false note in his career, both narrates this tale and anchors it with his authoritative playing.

June 15, 2011 Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | Comment
TIME Magazine
Top Critic IconTop Critic

A testament to the human spirit...

June 28, 2007 Full Review Source: Variety | Comment (1)
Variety
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A passing reference to 'The Count of Monte Cristo' offers a partial clue to what makes this movie compelling.

June 28, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comment
Chicago Reader
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It's a simple story elegantly, cleverly told, not to mention expertly acted.

September 24, 2004 Full Review Source: Boston Globe | Comment
Boston Globe
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Without a single riot scene or horrific effect, it tells a slow, gentle story of camaraderie and growth, with an ending that abruptly finds poetic justice in what has come before.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times | Comment
New York Times
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It's the no-bull performances that hold back the flood of banalities.

May 12, 2001 Comment
Rolling Stone
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Powerful, poignant, thought-provoking and finally irresistibly uplifting.

June 15, 2011 Full Review Source: Film4 | Comment

If you don't love Shawshank, chances are you're beyond redemption.

June 15, 2011 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | Comment
Empire Magazine

Spiritually moving old-fashioned prison pic.

March 16, 2011 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | Comment
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Gritty but comforting story of friendship.

December 18, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | Comment
Common Sense Media

I love this film. It's a story about hope and dreams and one whose emotional impact is as great as the Pacific Ocean is blue.

February 27, 2009 Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | Comment (1)
Urban Cinefile

Darabont explores the range of human kindness and cruelty as he lovingly and patiently sculpts his large cast of characters against magnificent scenery.

November 20, 2008 Full Review Source: Hollywood.com | Comment (1)
Hollywood.com

If you give it a chance, it can become one of your favorite films, and the Blu-ray edition with its improved picture and sound makes that all the easier. (Blu-ray Edition)

November 19, 2008 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis | Comments (2)
Movie Metropolis

...itself a testament to overcoming odds. It is sentimental and stereotyped, yet we are able not only to suspend our disbelief but to root for it all the way.

November 19, 2008 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis | Comment (1)
Movie Metropolis

...has certainly earned its reputation as one of the most effective prison movies in cinematic history...

July 30, 2008 Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | Comment (1)
Reel Film Reviews

It's an old-school melodrama at heart, sturdy and forthright and upstanding, but without a whisper of complexity or wit.

September 23, 2007 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | Comment (1)
eFilmCritic.com

A 'life-affirming' tale about life imprisonment, The Shawshank Redemption is the kind of old-fashioned entertainment that is easily overvalued in an era of diminishing expectations.

June 28, 2007 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | Comment
TV Guide's Movie Guide

I have not read Stephen King's novella (his first non-horror), but some of the movie's deficiencies, such as the old-fashioned morality tale and portentous messge about camarderie and redemption--must have been in the source material.

January 13, 2007 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | Comments (3)

An amazing movie. Easily one of the best movies made during the 90s and definitely one of the top 'prison' movies of all-time. Pretty much everything about this movie works and works extremely well!

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: JoBlo's Movie Emporium | Comments (2)
JoBlo's Movie Emporium

...a throwback to the kind of serious, literate drama Hollywood used to make.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comments (2)

An unhurried, engulfing prison drama.

March 10, 2006 Full Review Source: Arizona Daily Star | Comments (3)
Arizona Daily Star

Why are these men in jail?

February 9, 2006 Full Review Source: F5 (Wichita, KS) | Comments (131)

The Shawshank Redemption works not only as an excellent prison drama, but as a metaphor for overcoming our own private prisons.

January 25, 2006 Comments (2)
Fantastica Daily
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption demonstrates one of the reasons why I love watching movies, it is utterly inspirational. A gruelingly gritty film but remarkably the most visually and emotionally warm prison drama ever crafted. Why the performance of Tim Robbins was almost entirely overlooked I honestly have no idea. At

April 15, 2012
Directors Cat
Directors Cat

Super Reviewer

One of the greatest movies ever made. It has memorable characters, great drama and is one of the (if not) best prison movies. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman at their best. A true classic. If you haven't seen it, I recommend you go watch it as soon as possible!

March 15, 2012
Dr114
Chris Miele

Super Reviewer

    1. Ellis Boy "Red" Redding: Andy Dufresne, was my friend.
    – Submitted by Jack M (18 days ago)
    1. Andy Dufresne: Remember, Red......Hope is a good thing......Maybe the best of things....And no good thing ever dies.
    – Submitted by Ajay D (33 days ago)
    1. Ellis Boy "Red" Redding: Andy dufresne, the man who crawled through 500 yards of shit and came out clean the other end.
    – Submitted by Omar G (37 days ago)
    1. Andy Dufresne: You know, the funny thing is, on the outside I was an honest man, straight as an arrow, I had to come to prison to be a crook.
    – Submitted by Ilir I (37 days ago)
    1. Ellis Boy "Red" Redding: Get busy living or get busy dying.
    – Submitted by CATTAGA G (57 days ago)

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