The Shawshank Redemption

Columbia Pictures | Release Date: September 1, 1994

8.9	USER SCORE Universal acclaim based on 2106 Ratings

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User Reviews

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MarickMar 24, 2015

I was expecting something else entirely to a better movie. Sorry not impressed me so even give birth. The only thing I liked was how they interpreted actors. Otherwise ... no comment.

15 of 18 users found this helpful153

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AkelaarDec 13, 2012

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In my opinion this movie is really overrated. No real emotional scenes and the worst part of this movie is its "Happy End" in its pink colors. I hardly rate it 4/10.… Expand

16 of 24 users found this helpful168

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lofu_agfyOct 30, 2020

When i looked at IMDb and saw shawshank redemption at number 1 i was really expecting to be a great movie especially when i looked at the user reviews. Oh boy i was wrong. The movie is not bad but highly overrated. I really thought skyfall isWhen i looked at IMDb and saw shawshank redemption at number 1 i was really expecting to be a great movie especially when i looked at the user reviews. Oh boy i was wrong. The movie is not bad but highly overrated. I really thought skyfall is the most overrated movie in cinema history but i was wrong. The ending is very cliche. The dialogue is fine. The characters is good but more than that the movie does not deserve to be number 1. Rating:6.5/10… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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clem666Jan 27, 2022

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Despite a marvelous start paved with amazingly captured exposure scenes, attractive flashbacks and an unavoidable narration from Morgan Freeman, 'The Shawshank Redemption' sadly manages to lose its main plot into deceptively intertwined sub-plots.

Originally presented as a classic film, it ends up being more like a documentary on the American prison system. Surely we closely follow the experience of Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), whose performance remains striking by the way, but the scenario tends to incorporate dull and shallow characters. Obviously you are never incarcerated alone, and the omnipresence of others is a point of life in jail you can't miss, but here the movie doesn't even bother to link characters further than the few relations we see them have on screen. It is like if all characters evolved on their own but still achieve to develop a great team spirit.

In the end there remains numerous unanswered questions and misunderstandings. All I can say is that director Frank Darabont wanted to be sure we see that Andy Dufresne suffer a lot and withstand many terrible events. That we see him trying to remain upright and honest, tough in his own way. But for what ? His revenge tastes so bland and uncompelling compared to what we see him go through almsot two complete hours ! The ending seems so disappointing and awkwardly dreamy compared to the rationality and coldness of the beginning of the movie, as if the screenwriters had bent over the script and written it all at once, without bothering to add the glue that would have allowed the many pieces of the puzzle to fit together.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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SeriosityNov 5, 2012

Aside from the iconic poster-on-the-wall scene, nothing about this movie is all that memorable. A crowd-pleasing story with a message that comes off like a sermon.

14 of 19 users found this helpful145

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BroyaxJan 28, 2018

Une belle histoire nous est contée dans ce film carcéral qui ne ressemble pas aux autres films de taulards et d'évasion... une trop belle histoire pour être vraie enveloppée dans de belles séquences non dénuées d'une certaine "poésie" et deUne belle histoire nous est contée dans ce film carcéral qui ne ressemble pas aux autres films de taulards et d'évasion... une trop belle histoire pour être vraie enveloppée dans de belles séquences non dénuées d'une certaine "poésie" et de nombreux discours un brin pontifiants ici, dits par la voix off désabusée et philosophe du vieux briscard Morgan Freeman qui fait déjà partie des murs de la prison, "institutionnalisé" comme ils disent.

On ne ressent pas assez la rigueur de l'emprisonnement, ni le poids très lourd des années qui passent dans un tel environnement et l'évasion elle-même est finalement escamotée, arrivant comme un cheveu sur la soupe : elle semble du coup trop facile et se déroule en un claquement de doigts. Tout cela laisse une désagréable sensation d'incrédulité à dire vrai.

Les acteurs sont bien entendu excellents avec en dehors de Freeman, un Tim Robbins aussi convaincant que son personnage peut être déterminé. On ne s'ennuie nullement et la mise en scène fluide se révèle efficace. Mais le film est décidément trop idéaliste, idéalisé et tiré par les cheveux pour qu'on arrive à y croire, à moins d'être sacrément naïf soi-même... ce que nous ne sommes pas.… Expand

6 of 9 users found this helpful63

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ThorragnarokJan 25, 2019

I do not know why peoplke like this movie so much. I am not saying it is very bad but nor am I saying it is good. I mean, he just makes shawshank prison a better place to live for murderers and thieves and then he breaks out so easily. It isI do not know why peoplke like this movie so much. I am not saying it is very bad but nor am I saying it is good. I mean, he just makes shawshank prison a better place to live for murderers and thieves and then he breaks out so easily. It is just like prison break but much, much worse because prison break at least has plans and it takes long to break out but this was much easier. And if you like this ( not so good) movie, and this review hurts you than I am very sorry but I really do not know why people like this movie.… Expand

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

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RoryP.Jul 13, 2008

Overrated.

2 of 9 users found this helpful

grandiApr 25, 2022

Maybes this adaptation lost the original feeling of the book as the more this go toward, the more is predictable. 6/10

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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TheGreatNikakisAug 4, 2022

A very simple, yet well executed movie that has achieved cult classic status. Personally i don't find it all that memorable, besides a couple of scenes. It is not bad by any means and it stands as one of the best adaptations of a Steven KingA very simple, yet well executed movie that has achieved cult classic status. Personally i don't find it all that memorable, besides a couple of scenes. It is not bad by any means and it stands as one of the best adaptations of a Steven King novel but neither the music, nor the plot and characters are something worth writing home about. Above average but nothing special.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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