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The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption

Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.

1994142 minRMidcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Director
Frank Darabont
Starring
Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler

Imprisoned in the 1940s for the double murder of his wife and her lover, upstanding banker Andy Dufresne begins a new life at the Shawshank prison, where he puts his accounting skills to work for an amoral warden. During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates -- including an older prisoner named Red -- for his integrity and unquenchable sense of hope.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Shawshank Redemption?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Shawshank Redemption to rent or buy on Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Shawshank Redemption?

The Shawshank Redemption earns 9 badges, led by Top 1% of films and Stood the test of time.

Show 1 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Shawshank Redemption worth watching?

The Shawshank Redemption's Midcredits score is the 99th percentile of all films, from 6.4M ratings across 6 sources. 96% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

99th percentile

Better received than 99% of films

99th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)99th
Approval (how many liked it)99th

91 /100

99th percentile of all films

99th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 1990s

Critics 82 · Audience 91

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

Ratings pile up at 9–10 with almost no detractors — near-universal love.

96% liked it

99th percentile of all films

99th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 1990s
96% rated it 7–104% rated it 1–6

Critics 89% · Audience 98%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 7 Oscar noms · 18 wins / 42 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Actor in a Leading Role
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Cinematography

99th percentile

6.4M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 10% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$25M
Opening weekend$727K
Domestic gross$29M
Worldwide gross$29M

Returned 1.2× its budget — 92nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A slow, character-driven prison drama centered on hope and friendship.

Fans praised

  • unforgettable friendship between Andy and Red
  • deeply uplifting message of hope and resilience
  • masterful acting by Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman

Detractors panned

  • heavy-handed sentimentality and manipulation
  • predictable prison-movie clichés and stock characters
  • excessive length and slow pacing

What stands out

ActingDivisive90

Robbins and Freeman are universally praised; detractors find Robbins one-note

Emotional impactDivisive88

deeply moving themes of hope and friendship; critics call it manipulative

EndingDivisive88

satisfying, emotionally resonant conclusion; critics see it as too neat

AtmosphereDivisive85

oppressive yet poignant prison setting feels immersive

CharactersDivisive75

deep, relatable leads versus one-dimensional villains and stereotypes

DialogueDivisive75

memorable, poetic lines; critics find Freeman's narration overwrought

Plot and storyDivisive70

engaging story of wrongful conviction and escape; detractors call it formulaic and implausible

PacingDivisive55

deliberate and steady; detractors find it plodding and overlong

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men even
  • Under-30s vs over-30s even
  • Critics vs users even
  • US vs non-US even

Watch experience

What is The Shawshank Redemption like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and uplifting: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be moved and come out lifted.

It takes its time and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Moving and uplifting.

Moods
ContemplativeHopefulTense
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Warm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its material straight and with emotional sincerity, never undercutting dramatic moments.
The rideThe film maintains a contemplative weight throughout, with spikes of tension and a long arc toward hope that peaks in the final act.
StructureThe story unfolds linearly from Andy's arrival at Shawshank through his escape and reunion with Red, with time jumps but no dislocation of chronology.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe story of enduring hope and friendship leaves the viewer inspired and reflective long after the credits roll.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% (this title) · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Redemption: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).

13% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe film follows Andy's wrongful imprisonment, his friendship with Red, and his eventual escape and exposure of corruption, centering on themes of hope and redemption.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% (this title) · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Purpose · 9% of filmsFriendship · 9% of filmsHope · 5% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeAt its core, the film is about finding and maintaining a sense of purpose—through work, friendship, and hope—even in the most dehumanizing circumstances.
StanceThe film celebrates the human capacity to find purpose and hold onto hope, even in the face of relentless institutional cruelty.

The world

Mid 20th centuryInstitutionalRuralRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Thomas Newman
SettingShawshank State Penitentiary, Maine, 1947-1967
MusicNewman's score is gentle and contemplative, using piano and strings to evoke quiet resilience rather than overt drama.

Content guide

Is The Shawshank Redemption okay for kids?

R

The Shawshank Redemption is rated R: “Rated R for language and prison violence” (MPAA). As of October 5, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (65/100), sexual content at moderate (47/100), language at severe (82/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (40/100) and frightening material at intense (64/100). Overall it is heavier than 54% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 32 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland15
  • JapanPG-12
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil16
  • Argentina13
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • Greece16
  • Hungary16
  • IndiaU
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway15
  • PE14
  • PhilippinesR-13
  • Poland15
  • PortugalM/16
  • Russia16+
  • SK12
  • Spain12
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
  • Taiwan15+
  • Türkiye15+
  • UY16
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 73% of all filmsHeavier than 54% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 43%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 48%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 77%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 48%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 54%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language, violence, and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Shawshank Redemption have?

MovieCove's classifier found 5 depicted content warnings in The Shawshank Redemption: Kidnapping or confinement (moderate), plus 4 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

ModerateKidnapping or confinement

Cast and crew

Who is in The Shawshank Redemption?

Cast

Tim Robbins
as Andy Dufresne
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Morgan Freeman
as Ellis Boyd 'Red' Redding
Oscar nominee: Academy Award nomination — Best Actor in a Leading RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Bob Gunton
as Warden Norton
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
William Sadler
as Heywood
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Clancy Brown
as Captain Hadley
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Gil Bellows
as Tommy
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
James Whitmore
as Brooks Hatlen
Mark Rolston
as Bogs Diamond
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.
Jeffrey DeMunn
as 1946 D.A.
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Larry Brandenburg
as Skeet
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Shawshank Redemption?

Movies like The Shawshank Redemption include Sing Sing (2023), Driving Miss Daisy (1989) and The Green Mile (1999). Of the 12 closest matches, most are prison dramas, and several are films about purpose.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its world: life inside an institution. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Shawshank Redemption?

506 other films share the rarest tag below, premise: prison escape. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.