The Shawshank Redemption is arguably the ultimate cult classic for many reasons, and its ability to provide compelling plot twists definitely counts as one of them. It may be most famous for one particular twist, but a movie cannot truly call itself great if it merely relies on a single plot point to be interesting. The Shawshank Redemption is a gripping film from start to finish, which obviously makes any of its many plot twists even more effective. When you care about the characters and the overall story of a movie, any sudden turn of events is going to carry both the element of surprise and emotional investment. In a lesser film, only brief shock value is achieved—which can only be interesting on the first watch.
There are many unexpected developments throughout the course of this movie, ranging from relatively minor to absoluely essential. They can have relatively little set-up, a good deal of foreshadowing, or they can build up so gradually and subtly that they can feel like revelations once they happen. A good plot twist will also hold up the thematic core of the movie, which the most impressive plot twists in Shawshank do with ease—thanks to writer-director Frank Darabont‘s screenplay and the Stephen King novella it’s based on. Ranked by their thematic heft, emotional power, shock-value, and set-up, here are the film’s best plot twists.
10
The state sends funds for the library
A fun moment that foreshadows how much Andy will accomplish with mail
After a while of being in Shawshank State Penitentiary, Andy decides the library here could use some improvements. So he starts writing a letter to the state legislature every single week, asking for funds for the library. After six years, they finally send him a bunch of books and two hundred dollars. They also ask him to please stop sending them letters, which Andy considers the perfect opportunity to start writing two letters a week instead of one.
Who knew that all those letters would (literally) pay off? We also see that Andy’s plan of sending two letters a week will also work out, leading to a rather impressive prison library. This may not be the biggest part of the plot, but it’s nice to watch. It also makes for good foreshadowing, since it’s one of the examples of Andy showing just how much can happen through the power of mail.
9
Norton shoots himself
The bad guy doesn’t give up gracefully
Warden Norton (Bob Gunton) is corrupt, he’s cruel, and he’s exposed for his wrongdoings at the end of the movie. After Andy’s escape, he mails out some documents to a newspaper that make it crystal clear that the warden was responsible for murder and dirty money. After it gets published on the front page, Norton slams the paper down and hears the cops coming. It’s intense, and it’s very pleasing to watch.
Andy’s successful escape was already great enough, so the warden’s comeuppance—as well as Captain Hadley’s (Clancy Brown)—feels like icing on the cake. Unlike Hadley, however, Norton doesn’t let himself get arrested; he takes a gun out of his desk and shoots himself. This doesn’t make for the most significant twist in the film, but it’s definitely one of those moments that makes us all the more happy for Andy.
8
Brooks Almost Kills Heywood
An interesting and depressing look at being dependent on the prison
Parole can take a while, sometimes too long. That’s what happens with Brooks (James Whitmore), who is one of the best characters in the movie for the saddest reasons. Upon learning that he’s being let out of prison, he almost kills Heywood (William Sadler) just so they would keep him in Shawshank. Luckily for Heywood, Brooks is persuaded out of that idea just in time. This still raises some eyebrows, as the old man’s demeanor had always been gentle before then.
This turn of events startles not just the viewers but Brooks’s friends, too. We only learn why Brooks is threatening Heywood after Andy talks him out of it. Brooks breaks down and says “It’s the only way they’d let me stay,” at which point it becomes clear that he depends on living in the penitentiary to feel like he has purpose. Without this place, he doesn’t feel comfortable at all. This profoundly sad moment catches even the prisoners off guard—not to mention foreshadows Brooks’ fate.
7
Bogs gets beaten by Hadley
One of the most satisfying parts of the movie
When Andy first arrives at Shawshank, he gets approached by Bogs (Mark Rolston)—the leader of the Sisters. This group is known for raping people, and that’s exactly what they do to Andy for about two years. Then, after Andy gains the favor of Captain Hadley for helping him with money, things change. We see Bogs enter his own cell and turn on the light, at which point Hadley is shown standing right there. Thus begins the beating of a lifetime.
Bogs tries to crawl away, but he is quickly pulled back in. After that, the guards make it so that he can never walk again. This is definitely one of the most satisfying moments in the film, as one of the most heinous characters gets a well-deserved comeuppance from an unexpected person. It’s also good to see that Andy will no longer be threatened by him (nor the rest of the Sisters).
6
Andy’s innocent
This helps the audience sympathize with him a lot more
Even for a character as mild-mannered as Andy Dufresne, it’s tough to get a crowd rooting for a man who’s guilty of a double-homicide. Well, The Shawshank Redemption makes that much easier for its audience roughly two-thirds into the story. Tommy (Gil Bellows) tells the story of when he was doing time for stealing a car. His roommate in prison was a guy called Elmo Blatch (Bill Bolender), who apparently told him that he once killed this woman and her lover—and that his banker husband was convicted for it.
This plot twist puts the audience unequivocally on Andy’s side, which is pretty significant. The only reason it’s not higher up on this list is because Darabont’s masterful storytelling has largely gotten the audience on Andy’s side already, so this just seals the deal. It also provides the film with a new momentum, though; Andy subsequently seeks a legitimate way out of prison, which leads to further tragedy.
5
Tommy gets killed
One of the movie’s biggest and saddest shocks
A plot twist can be excellent for several different reasons. There are plot twists that completely change the tone of a movie, ones that make us profoundly sad, ones that make us look at a film in a totally different way, and ones that make us want to cheer. They’re all shocking, but the sad ones are particularly affecting. This one belongs in that category, as Tommy was just a troubled young man who wanted to change his life around. Unfortunately, the warden had Captain Hadley shoot him.
The guy had just passed his high school equivalency test, and he was set to get out much sooner than most of the other convicts. That makes it tragic enough, but the set-up to this moment is also part of why it’s so good. Tommy is told the warden wants to speak to him, then gets led outside, and asks “Out here?” Not a good sign. Then the warden asks if Tommy swears that he would testify on Andy’s behalf—pretending that he’s open to the idea. Overall, it’s a very dramatic scene that makes Tommy’s death all the more powerful.
4
Red finds Andy
It completes one of the best endings in cinema history
After Red is released on parole, he struggles with living on the outside. However, his promise to Andy keeps him from suffering the same fate as Brooks. He actually decides to search for Andy in Mexico, a devotion that helps make this among the best movies about friendship ever made. Red’s voice-over at the end of the film is already moving enough, as we hope just as much as he does that he’ll find Andy. Then we see that he succeeds, and their reunion is beautiful.
This scene is so well-earned and uplifting that people often cite it as one of the best endings of all time. However, knowing that Red was searching for his old friend and had hope was satisfying enough. After all, that monologue prepared us for the notion that we’d have to wonder whether he’ll succeed in this adventure. The movie would still have been great without their reunion, which makes this count as both a plot twist and one that—as satisfying as it is—still doesn’t feel like the most significant in the story.
3
Brooks hangs himself
A tragic turn of events in one of the strongest parts of the film
After Brooks is let out of prison on parole, he tries to get used to life in normal society. The montage that unfolds includes him trying to keep up as a grocery-bagger, taking the city bus, feeding the birds (in the hopes that Jake might show up), and etching “Brooks was here” on the wall of his apartment. Tragically, Brooks’ voiceover states that he’s decided to leave this world—and he hangs himself.
This is one of the most devastating moments in The Shawshank Redemption. One would expect someone to be happy that they’ve been freed from prison, but this plot twist expands on Brooks’ incident with Heywood and brings the old man’s institutionalized mentality to its logical conclusion. This also serves as a warning to the other inmates: what happened to Brooks may just happen to them, after enough time passes.
2
Red Is Released
It’s both surprising and emotionally powerful.
In previous parole hearings, Red told the board what he thought they wanted him to say—and he always got rejected. Now that he’s served forty years of a life sentence, he’s asked yet again if he feels he’s been rehabilitated. This time, Red doesn’t try to go by the book; he speaks from his heart. This monologue is perhaps the most profound piece of dialogue in the movie, and it pays off—he’s released from Shawshank.
Watching Red talk about the word “rehabilitated” proves one of the moving parts of the film, which makes the approval of his parole all the more gratifying. The fact that Andy had to work so hard to get out also makes it more surprising that Red was able to get out through legitimate means. Other details in the filmmaking craft make this better, too. For instance, watching the stamp hit the paper (as it had the past two times) makes us think it will read “rejected,” but it reads “approved” instead. Overall, it’s a life-affirming twist that propels the plot into even more heartwarming territory.
1
Andy Escapes
It’s the most shocking and most satisfying part of the movie
Andy has had so many posters of beautiful movie stars, and he’s had them for so many years, that the viewers and characters alike don’t think twice about it as the movie goes. Frank Darabont wisely excludes Rita Hayworth from the movie’s title, avoiding any obvious hints. As anyone who’s seen the movie knows, Andy has been using his posters to hide a hole he’s been digging in the wall.
The setup couldn’t be better. When Andy is missing on roll call, we’ve been led to believe he’s hung himself. We’re not sure, though, and the mystery of where he is keeps us in suspense. Soon, the warden angrily throws a rock through the poster, and we hear it going further and further away. That moment is so well done that nobody who’s seen it can forget the shock of when they first saw it. Along with the fact that Andy kept his digging tool in his Bible (since the Warden would never search it), this is easily one of the greatest and most triumphant plot twists of all time.