Favorite Redemption Movies

A lot of our favorite movies of all time feature the theme of redemption, stories that motivate us to hold on to hope, fight to survive, second chances ... list your favorite films with the major redemption theme- Can be inspired by real life events, completely fictional inspirational movies, and movies that were created based on a classic literary work. It doesn’t matter the genre.

“I find I'm so excited that I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a free man can feel. A free man at a start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.”- The Shawshank Redemption

Here are some of my favorites...

Shawshank Redemption
Hoosiers
Good Will Hunting
Rocky
It’s A Wonderful Life
Groundhog Day
Jerry Maguire
Gladiator
Braveheart
The Rookie
Field of Dreams

 

2001

 

Papillon
Deliverance
Midnight Express
Escape From Alcatraz
The Other Side Of Hell

 

The Natural

 

Robert Duval "Tender Mercies"

• Woman with Groceries : Hey, mister, were you really Mac Sledge?
  
  Mac Sledge : Yes, ma'm, I guess I was.
  

 

Star Wars

 

I was about to say, Return of the Jedi.

 

I was sort of going for the original trilogy! I watched all the films in 4k recently and the 2nd and 3rd prequel films made me dislike Anakin so much I think I preferred him as Darth Vader!

 

Buffalo '66.

 

The unforgiven
The Mission

 

Whenever I spot any of the films on your list playing on cable, I stop surfing channels and watch it. Every time. Drives my wife crazy. Great list.

 

Resurrection
Barabbas
Man in the Wilderness
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Runaway Train
Ride with the Devil

 

Seabiscuit

“Narrator: The first time he saw Seabiscuit, the colt was walking through the fog at five in the morning. Smith would say later that the horse looked right through him. As if to say, "What the hell are you looking at? Who do you think you are?" He was a small horse, barely fifteen hands. He was hurting too. There was a limp in his walk, a wheezing when he breathed. Smith didn't pay attention to that. He was looking the horse in the eye.”

 

Aliens (1986) has several redemption arcs:

• The in-over-his-head Lieutenant Gorman (William Hope) blows himself up with a hand grenade to save the group.
• Bishop (Lance Henriksen) overcomes Ripley's distrust of 'artificial humans' with several selfless, heroic acts.
• Hudson (Bill Paxton) - "Game over!" - fights valiantly to the death.
• Ripley overcomes her own petrifying fear of the xenomorphs to save Newt

 

A proper redemption film would have the Queen saving the day!

 

Hummingbird

 

Gran Torino

 

Django Unchained

 

amazing ending...

 

One of the classics...Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando) in On the Waterfront.

 

Animal House
Do the Right Thing

 

Wonder Boys.

 

The Verdict
The Fisher King

 

dead man walking

.... finally taking responsibility and admitting the truth.