Top Prison Movies

From Frank Darabont, starring Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler
Rated R

The Shawshank Redemption tells the story of Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), a banker who is wrongfully convicted of murder and sent to Shawshank State Prison in Maine. Despite his unjust incarceration, Andy refuses to be broken by the system and uses his wit and resilience to outwit the prison guards and fellow inmates. With the help of his lifelong friend Red (Morgan Freeman), Andy finds hope and courage to survive and eventually succeeds in escaping from the prison. As the film progresses, the audience is taken on a journey of hope, friendship, and redemption as Andy and Red’s bond of friendship endures over the years. The Shawshank Redemption is a powerful movie about the strength of the human spirit and the unbreakable power of hope and friendship.

From Frank Darabont, starring Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan, David Morse, Bonnie Hunt
Rated R

The Green Mile is a 1999 American drama film directed by Frank Darabont and based on Stephen King's 1996 novel of the same name. The film stars Tom Hanks as Paul Edgecomb, a prison guard at Cold Mountain Penitentiary, who becomes emotionally attached to a death row inmate, John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan). The film follows Edgecomb and his colleagues as they witness Coffey's supernatural gift of healing and try to help him prove his innocence. At the same time, Edgecomb faces his own crisis of conscience over Coffey's execution. The Green Mile is an emotionally powerful story of redemption, faith, hope, and courage in the face of overwhelming odds.

From Stuart Rosenberg, starring Paul Newman, George Kennedy, Strother Martin, J.D. Cannon
Rated GP

Cool Hand Luke is a 1967 American prison drama film starring Paul Newman as Luke Jackson, a prisoner in a Florida prison camp who refuses to conform to the camp's rules and regulations. The film follows Luke's rebellious attitude and his attempt to escape from the camp several times, while also presenting an unforgettable cast of supporting characters. The film's theme of individualism and rebellion against authority figures is encapsulated in the famous line, "What we've got here is failure to communicate." The film portrays the struggles of a man trying to survive in a prison environment, while ultimately demonstrating the power of the human spirit. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Newman, and won the 1967 Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Drama.

From Franklin J. Schaffner, starring Steve McQueen, Dustin Hoffman, Victor Jory, Don Gordon
Rated R

Papillon is the 1973 classic film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner. It stars Steve McQueen as Henri "Papillon" Charrière, a safecracker and petty criminal who is unjustly convicted of murder and sentenced to life in a French penal colony in the 1930s. With the help of his friend, Louis Dega (Dustin Hoffman), Papillon attempts to escape the prison but is constantly thwarted by the guards and the harsh conditions of the prison. Eventually, Papillon manages to gain his freedom, but only after a long and arduous struggle against the authorities. The film is based on the memoirs of Charrière and is an inspiring tale of resilience and courage in the face of overwhelming adversity.

From Taylor Hackford, starring Damian Chapa, Jesse Borrego, Benjamin Bratt, Enrique Castillo
Rated R

Blood In, Blood Out is a 1993 crime drama film directed by Taylor Hackford and starring Damian Chapa, Jesse Borrego, Benjamin Bratt, Enrique Castillo, and Victor Rivers. Set primarily in East Los Angeles, the film tells the story of three lifelong friends — Salvador 'Miklo' Velasquez (Chapa), Paco Aguilar (Borrego), and Cruz Candelaria (Bratt) — and how their lives intertwine over the span of a decade. After Paco and Cruz become involved with a major drug dealer, they are sentenced to prison — leaving Miklo to fend for himself. When Miklo is released from prison, he quickly finds himself at odds with his former friends and the drug dealer who sent them away. With vengeance on his mind, Miklo sets out to confront them all. Along the way, he learns the consequences of gang violence and family loyalty, ultimately discovering a new purpose for his life. Blood In, Blood Out is a gritty, emotionally gripping drama about the power of friendship and loyalty, and the devastating effects of revenge.

From Oliver Hirschbiegel, starring Moritz Bleibtreu, Christian Berkel, Oliver Stokowski, Wotan Wilke Möhring
Rated R

The Experiment is a 2001 psychological thriller directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel. The film follows a group of twenty men as they take part in a simulated prison experiment, where half of them are randomly assigned the role of prisoners and the other half are given the role of guards. The experiment quickly escalates as the men become increasingly absorbed in the roles they are playing and the situation becomes increasingly volatile. As the situation deteriorates, the men must confront the psychological and physical pressures of the experiment and their own morality in order to make it out alive.

From Don Siegel, starring Clint Eastwood, Patrick McGoohan, Roberts Blossom, Jack Thibeau
Rated PG

Escape from Alcatraz is a 1979 American prison drama directed by Don Siegel. The film stars Clint Eastwood as prisoner Frank Morris, who is determined to escape from the notorious Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. After months of meticulous planning, Morris and two fellow inmates launch a daring escape from the seemingly inescapable prison. The trio must confront the harsh elements of the San Francisco Bay, evading the prison guards and the U.S. Coast Guard in their attempt to make it to freedom. The film is based on the 1962 escape of three prisoners, which resulted in the closure of the penitentiary.

From F. Gary Gray, starring Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Leslie Bibb, Colm Meaney
Rated R

From Ric Roman Waugh, starring Stephen Dorff, Marisol Nichols, Vincent Miller, Anne Archer
Rated R

From Phil Joanou, starring Dwayne Johnson, Xzibit, L. Scott Caldwell, Leon Rippy
Rated PG-13

From Nicolas Winding Refn, starring Tom Hardy, Kelly Adams, Luing Andrews, Katy Barker
Rated R

From Adrian Grunberg, starring Mel Gibson, Kevin Balmore, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Jesús Ochoa
Rated R

From Simon West, starring Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, John Malkovich, Colm Meaney
Rated R

From Mikael Håfström, starring Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, 50 Cent, Vincent D'Onofrio
Rated R

From Steve Buscemi, starring Willem Dafoe, Edward Furlong, Danny Trejo, Mark Boone Junior
Rated R

From Paul W.S. Anderson, starring Jason Statham, Joan Allen, Tyrese Gibson, Ian McShane
Rated R

From Peter Segal, starring Adam Sandler, Burt Reynolds, Chris Rock, Nelly
Rated PG-13

From Directors: James Mather, Steve Saint Leger, starring Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace, Peter Stormare, Vincent Regan
Rated PG-13

From Bob Odenkirk, starring Dax Shepard, Will Arnett, Chi McBride, David Koechner
Rated R

From John Curran, starring Edward Norton, Milla Jovovich, Robert De Niro, Frances Conroy
Rated R

From Don Michael Paul, starring Morris Chestnut, Steven Seagal, Matt Battaglia, Ja Rule
Rated PG-13