The Shawshank Redemption
The Shawshank Redemption Image
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Metascore
80 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critics What's this?

User Score
9.2 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 444 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
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  • Starring: Morgan Freeman, Tim Robbins
  • Summary: Wrongly convicted, Andy Dufresne (Robbins) is sentenced to two consecutive life terms in in Maine's Shawshank prison for the murders of his wife and her lover. Set in the 1940's, the film shows how Andy learns to get by in the brutal confines of prison, even earning the respect of his fellow inmates, most notably the longtime convict "Red" Redding (Freeman).… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. Empire
    Reviewed by: Ian Nathan
    100
    A thumpingly good ode to friendship, hope, wit, wiles and wisdom, brimming with crackling characters and topped with the most twisteroo of twists since "The Crying Game."
  2. Rolling Stone
    Reviewed by: Peter Travers
    90
    It's the no-bull performances that hold back the flood of banalities. Robbins and Freeman connect with the bruised souls of Andy and Red to create something undeniably powerful and moving.
  3. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Peter Stack
    75
    Some of "The Shawshank Redemption'' comes across as outrageously improbable. Yet the film keeps pulling you back with its sense of striving humanity slowly turning the tables against evil.
  4. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Kenneth Turan
    50
    Paradoxically, it is Shawshank's zealousness in trying to cast a rosy glow over the prison experience that makes us feel we're doing harder time than the folks inside. [23 Sept 1994]
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See all 19 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 121 out of 129
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 129
  3. Negative: 6 out of 129
  1. troyp
    10
    The shawshank redemption is a brilliant film that is beautifly acted with and insiring and uplifting message message of hope. in my opiniun the film should have at least one oscar to show for it's brilliance. it is truly sad that know one could see how superior shawshank is to the wearisome forrest gump. i think that if shawshank had been realeased more recently it would have hands down won best picture it is one of the few films that are worthy of being called perfect… Expand
  2. JorisV.
    8
    Beautiful. Very good, but not exceptional. 8,5 really.
  3. RoryP.
    6
    Overrated.
  4. BennyM
    3
    Extremely overrated. Morgan Freeman gave a nice performance however Tim Robbins possessed no emotion whatsoever and I cared little if even at all for any of the characters. Not particularly well written with a warm message that is delivered over an overly long period of time.… Expand

See all 129 User Reviews

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