The Shawshank Redemption (1994) - Parents Guide Movie Rating

MPA: R BBFC: 15 Maturity Rating 16+

MPAA Reason: Rated R for language and prison violence.

BBFC Reason: strong violence, sexual threat, language, suicide

BBFC Ratings info: THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION is a US drama, from 1994, in which two men form a friendship in prison. Violence: Scenes show male prisoners being beaten by corrections officers and by other prisoners. There are also blood spurts when a man is shot. Sexual violence: There are two scenes in which a man is overpowered and threatened with rape or sexual assault. However, no assault actually occurs. Language: There is use of strong language ('f**k', 'motherf**ker'). Suicide: In one scene a man hangs himself. In another scene a man shoots himself, although only the sound of a gunshot and the aftermath are shown. There is a scene in which a man and woman undress each other as they kiss, although the scene stops short of showing sex. There are also some verbal sex references. There is rear nudity as men shower in prison.

Sex & Nudity

mild

References to prison rape, a man and woman make out in the opening scene (no nudity), nude posters in prison cells. In the beginning, Andy sees his wife cheating. Three seconds of mild thrusting, fully clothed and shown from the shoulders up. New prisoners are brought into the prison nude. Bare buttocks are seen. There may be brief glimpses of genitals. There's some sexual dialogue present between the prisoners. A bare buttock visible during herd shower scene Brief male nudity (Buttocks), suggestive posters hanging on walls, a make out scene and prison rape that isn't shown but heavily implied. The main character is referenced to getting in a "routine" in which he is prison raped by a gang of men. The act is never shown but it is heavily implied by showing the men approach Andy. The actual nudity is very limited, brief male rear nudity is shown in the showers a few times and if you look extremely closely you can make out a few nude posters on the wall. The group that routinely gang rapes the protagonist references oral sex during an assault by telling the main character he will swallow whatever he's given to swallow. Nothing is shown onscreen. It is heavily implied that a character is raped many times over the course of his imprisonment. We never see the act but it is talked about and we see his attackers beat him up beforehand. At the beginning we see two people having sex there is no nudity only thrusting and moaning. Another scene in the prison there is male nudity from prisoners in the shower however no genitalia is ever seen .

Violence & Gore

moderate

In one scene you could see bloody gun shots on a man. There is a shirt on him so you don't see the injury. A man is shot 4 times very quickly in the chest, the blood is seen and after we see him laying on the ground In a pool of blood. A narration implies that rape is an occurrence for Andy. One scene involves the same men who usually terrorize him punching and kicking him against the ground and says he will put his penis in Andy's mouth to which Andy replies they shouldn't do that. Non graphic. A man hits two others in the face with a film roll. He is then punched twice in the chest and once across the jaw (a dot of blood on his mouth). Shortly after, he is kicked four times in the stomach and hit across the face twice (seen from a distance). We then hear he spent a month in the infirmary. A man is hit five times and kicked once. He tries to crawl away, but is dragged offscreen and is implied to be still beaten up. He is then seen injured and bruised in a wheelchair for a few seconds and we hear he spent the rest of his life in a hospital. A man tries to fend off a few people in a fight and is beaten offscreen. It's also briefly referenced that he was raped. He then walks with a few bruises seen shortly on his face. A man is beaten up by a prison guard, with 12 blows landing. No blood or injuries are visible due to the dark lighting, most of the blows are offscreen. It is later revealed that he died from his injuries. One man holds a knife to another man's throat, a tiny wound is seen on his neck. A man is splashed with sewage, then crawls through the sewer pipe. The narration states that the sewage is excrement. There is a scene where we see a man get beaten by prison guards, he screams and starts crying. It is later told he died from this beating A man is shot in the chest four times. Bloody bullet wounds are briefly seen. He then lies in a pool of blood with the bullet wounds on his back for a good 10 seconds. A man shoots himself in the head. The camera cuts away right before, and blood sprays onto the glass behind him. We then see him with a blood trail on his neck and a blood splatter on the floor below him for 2 seconds. A man commits suicide by hanging. We see his feet jerk for a second or two. His body is then seen from behind for a few seconds.

Profanity

severe

34 uses of "fuck" (2 being "motherfucker"), 3 uses each of "dick" and "prick", 2 uses of bastard, 42 uses of "shit" including 6 uses of "bullshit", 2 uses of "shit head" and 2 uses of "horse shit". Also the phrase "Fresh Fish" is used frequently. 1 use of "cock", 12 uses of "goddamn", 9 uses of "hell", and 3 uses of "bitch"

Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking

mild

A man says he can get people 'reefers' (no other interaction or any smoking or using it however at all) Men drink beer after along days work . And a prisoner gets cigarettes for his fellow inmates. People drink beer on a rooftop in one particular scene. One man is drunk and he holds a whiskey bottle in his hands. People smoke in several scenes. Prisoners deal cigarettes secretly among the bedsheets.

Frightening & Intense Scenes

moderate

The movie can be sometimes harsh and dark in tone. Prisoners torment and verbally attack new people who've just arrived, their reactions can be a bit difficult to watch as they scream and cry. The character of Gavin Cline has frightening similarities to a baby deer (beautiful, cautious, blonde) The beatings may be intense to many. There are moments of moderate threat when characters are threatened (normally by guards). The prison rape elements could be distressing but, it is never shown just vaguely implied and briefly referenced. There is rape also implied and prison bullying. Brooks death is very emotional and hard to watch. The prison warden commits suicide near the end of the film by firing a gun while it's facing his chin. The bloody aftermath is shown when the police finally come in. It's one of the darkest scenes in this film. Two important characters commit suicide; a main character contemplates suicide. Very intense. There is a scene where an old man commits suicide from hanging himself this scene is built up with an emotional monologue ( speech ) this scene is more meant to be sad and emotional talking about when men are institutionalised, however audiences might not like this as we see him after he is hanged still in the rope dead .