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Movies / On DVD / The Shawshank Redemption
The Shawshank Redemption

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The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

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Reviews Counted:55

Fresh:48

Rotten:7

Average Rating:8/10

Rated: 15

Runtime: 2 hrs 25 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:17-09-2004

Synopsis: In writer-director Frank Darabont's THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for the murders of his wife and her lover in the late... In writer-director Frank Darabont's THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for the murders of his wife and her lover in the late 1940s. However, only Andy knows that he didn't commit the crimes. Sent to Shawshank Prison to do hard time, Andy--a taciturn banker in the outside world--has to learn to get by in the brutal, cutthroat confines of prison life. His quiet strength slowly earns the respect of his fellow inmates--most notably, Red (Morgan Freeman)--and even much of the prison staff. But Andy's seemingly stoic acceptance of his unjust imprisonment hides a fierce determination for freedom. This beautifully crafted movie features touching and sincere performances from the entire cast, with an uplifting message about humanity's indomitable spirit and the redemptive value of hope. Based on the novella RITA HAYWORTH AND SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION by Stephen King, Darabont's intriguing adaptation is easily one of the finest films of the 1990s. [More]

Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Clancy Brown, Bob Gunton

Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Clancy Brown, Bob Gunton, William Sadler, James Whitmore, Gil Bellows, Mark Rolston

Director: Frank Darabont

Director: Frank Darabont
Screenwriter: Frank Darabont
Story: Stephen King
Producer: Niki Marvin
Composer: Thomas Newman, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

[See More Credits]

Reviews for The Shawshank Redemption

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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...a throwback to the kind of serious, literate drama Hollywood used to make.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Derek Adams
Derek Adams
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Freeman, in particular, is exceptional. His performance is so unshowy it can easily go unnoticed, but it's the soul of Shawshank.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
09/14/04
Nev Pierce
Nev Pierce
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Rarely rises above the overbearing, obnoxious and trite.

Full Review Source: Projection Booth | comment 1 Comment
06/20/09
Rob Humanick
Rob Humanick
Projection Booth

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.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
02/27/09
Louise Keller
Louise Keller
Urban Cinefile

...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.

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
11/19/08
John J. Puccio
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com

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

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
07/30/08
David Nusair
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews

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

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
09/23/07
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

A testament to the human spirit...

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
06/28/07
Leonard Klady
Leonard Klady
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
06/28/07
TV Guide's Movie Guide

A passing reference to 'The Count of Monte Cristo' offers a partial clue to what makes this movie compelling.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
06/28/07
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader

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.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
01/13/07
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

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!

Full Review Source: JoBlo's Movie Emporium | comment Comment
06/24/06
JoBlo
JoBlo
JoBlo's Movie Emporium

An unhurried, engulfing prison drama.

Full Review Source: Arizona Daily Star | comment Comment
03/10/06
Phil Villarreal
Phil Villarreal
Arizona Daily Star

Why are these men in jail?

Full Review Source: F5 (Wichita, KS) | comment 36 Comments
02/09/06
Jake Euker
Jake Euker
F5 (Wichita, KS)

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

comment Comment
01/25/06
Chuck O'Leary
Chuck O'Leary
Fantastica Daily

Drawn in straight, brutal lines.

Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | comment 8 Comments
12/17/04
Walter Chaw
Walter Chaw
Film Freak Central

The Shawshank Redemption is one of those films that is a true work of both art and magic.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
10/31/04
James Brundage
James Brundage
Filmcritic.com

Beaches for straight men.

Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | comment 25 Comments
10/16/04
Ed Gonzalez
Ed Gonzalez
Slant Magazine

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
09/27/04
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

It's a simple story elegantly, cleverly told, not to mention expertly acted.

Full Review Source: Boston Globe | comment Comment
09/24/04
Boston Globe
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Latest News for The Shawshank Redemption

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Frank Darabont is heading back to prison for a crime thriller that is selling international rights in Cannes this week. More...

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