Popcorn and Inspiration: ‘The Shawshank Redemption,’ a Prison Drama With Hope

Popcorn and Inspiration: ‘The Shawshank Redemption,’ a Prison Drama With Hope
Tim Robbins (L) and Morgan Freeman play characters who find friendship in a dark and hopeless prison. Columbia Pictures
Michael Clark
Updated:
R | 2h 22min | Drama | 23 September 1994 (USA)

Like a handful of classics that came before this film—“The Wizard of Oz,” “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Citizen Kane,” “Vertigo”—“The Shawshank Redemption” was a box office failure upon initial release. Yet, for the better part of the last 25 years, it’s been ranked No. 1 on the imdb.com Top 250 list and is on many critics’ all-time Top 10 lists. In the interest of full disclosure, it’s No. 6 on my all-time Top 10.

Michael Clark
Michael Clark
Author
Originally from the nation's capital, Michael Clark has provided film content to over 30 print and online media outlets. He co-founded the Atlanta Film Critics Circle in 2017 and is a weekly contributor to the Shannon Burke Show on FloridaManRadio.com. Since 1995, Clark has written over 5,000 movie reviews and film-related articles. He favors dark comedy, thrillers, and documentaries.
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