The Shawshank Redemption Parent Guide

Following the brutal murders of his wife and her lover, banker Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is convicted of the crime and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences in the notoriously tough Shawshank Prison. While Andy maintains that he didn’t commit the murders, he settles into prison life with the help of Red (Morgan Freeman), a fellow convict.

Even with a friend, prison is dangerous. Pursued by “The Sisters”, a gang of vicious rapists, and trying to avoid the wanton cruelty of the guards, Andy learns quickly that surviving in Shawshank is not guaranteed. The Warden, Samuel Norton (Bob Gunton), puts Andy to work, using his financial expertise to help him launder the money he skims off from his ongoing scams and bribes. While Andy’s work for the Warden offers him better opportunities inside, it also exposes him to even more risk. Andy has nothing but time, and he’s not about to let prison be the end of him…

There’s not much left for me to say about this movie. It is a cultural powerhouse, a film often mentioned when discussing the best films of all time. The way it succeeds, though, is what I think is most interesting about it. The Shawshank Redemption isn’t out to redefine filmmaking. It doesn’t trailblaze some new approach to filmmaking or storytelling; there are no revolutionary special effects or cinematic tricks. It simply takes the established methods of telling a compelling and emotional story and does so nearly flawlessly.

As far as parents or teachers are concerned, there is some negative content that should be considered before showing this movie to teens. Obviously, a prison film doesn’t show people at their best. Beatings, murders, suicides, rape, and a healthy helping of profanity are all issues here. The silver lining for parents is that, apart from the profanity, these are not positive or graphic depictions. Violence (particularly sexual violence) and drinking have consequences, and they aren’t shown in detail. While this film is hardly suitable viewing for children, older teens who like serious drama will probably find it interesting.

Gripping, surprising, emotional, and exceptional, The Shawshank Redemption is one of the few films that, years after release, remains popular and acclaimed. If you haven’t watched it, do yourself a favor and buckle in for a fantastic experience. If you have watched it, do yourself another favor and give it another look. I’ve seen this film half a dozen times, and I notice different details every time. There’s a reason this movie succeeded despite poor theatrical earnings – it’s just too good to ignore.