Redemption arcs can make or break a movie,especially if the character being redeemed it the protagonist. However, all of these films understand that there are many ways to craft a redemption storyline and that there’s more than one to be absolved and move on. Movies likeSchindler’s Listtake well-known stories from real life and translate them to the screen, allowing their narratives to hit even harder because the audience knows that these characters truly achieved redemption. However, this doesn’t make the fictional plots any less effective at tugging at the viewer’s heartstrings.
There’s nothing worse than apoorly executed character redemption arc, as this ruins the entire dramatic tension of a story. However, all of these arcs were carefully planned and well-paced, unfolding deliberately throughout the narrative and building tension for the best possible payoff. Sometimes, this redemption is complete and pushes the characters to move on from their pasts and start fresh. However, it’s almost more interesting when being redeemed means doing what’s best for others and turning a new page somewhere else.
Lian Neeson’s performance as Oskar Schindler in Steven Spielberg’sSchindler’s Listgives the already intense subject matter an additional emotional weight. Though Schindler begins the movie as a staunch businessman who cares only for profits and will support any political party based on the way the wind is blowing, he becomes a hero by the film’s end. It’s a testament to how far Schindler comes thathe isn’t relieved at the end of the movie or believes he’s a good man but that he mourns all the lives he could’ve saved.
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Based on the 1982 novel by Thomas Keneally,Schindler’s Arc,the fact that the film is based on a devastating true story makes it difficult to watch at times. However, taking the singular redemption of one man and using this as a tool to explore the way people behaved throughout the Holocaust is demonstrative of what Spielberg does best. Though it’s easy to hate Schindler at the start, the fact that he becomes a man worth remembering is an amazing feat.
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While it isn’t surprising that a movie with redemption in the title features an iconic story of absolution,The Shawshank Redemptionbecame an enduring classic from the moment it was released.Starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman as a pair of men who meet in prison and weather the horrible abuses and conditions of the penitentiary,The Shawshank Redemptionis a test of patience and enduring hope. However, there are many setbacks and moments in the movie that make it difficult for the audience and characters to stay strong.
Fortunately, Andy (Robbins) is a smart and capable man who makes the most of his situation and has a long-term plan he puts in motion from the start. The payoff ofseeing Andy’s hard work come to fruition at the conclusion ofThe Shawshank Redemptionis worth even the lowest momentsof the film. Additionally, the friendship that blossoms between Andy and Red (Freeman) gives the movie a much-needed emotional throughline and gives the men something to hold onto together.
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The father and son, Will Smith and Jaden Smith, play Chris Gardner and his son,Chris Gardner Jr., inThe Pursuit of Happyness, a film loosely based on the life of the real Mr. Gardner. Throughout the film, Chris becomes destitute and must take care of his son alone while trying to land a job as a stockbroker. Of course, his path to this point is far from easy, as he must find a way for him and Chris Jr. to survive through the unpaid internship he must excel in before he lands the job.
The Pursuit of Happynesssees Chris go through a lot before he finally gets his reward, and seeing him at his lowest is heart-wrenching but makes his triumph even sweeter.
Redemption isn’t the right word forThe Pursuit of Happyness, as though Chris makes some missteps, he’s more a victim of a system that’s built to work against him than a failure of any kind. However, the fact that he rises from his situation and gives his son a stable home after all his setbacks is moving and impressive.The Pursuit of Happynesssees Chris go through a lot before he finally gets his reward, and seeing him at his lowest is heart-wrenching but makes his triumph even sweeter.
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This sci-fi twist on the romantic comedy sees Bill Murray begin the movie as one of the most unlikable leading men imaginable. However, his character,Phil, finds himself justly punished for his misanthropic and selfish wayswhen he gets trapped in a time loop. Forced to relive the same day in the small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, on Groundhog Day, Phil comes to appreciate the small things in life and even earns the affection of Rita (Andie MacDowell).
It takes a long time for Phil to realize he can’t simply impress or trick Rita into falling in love with him. This might have worked for him in the past, butGroundhog Dayteaches him what meaningful connection isand why it’s vital to seek this out. It’s only when Phil has truly earned Rita’s love and made peace with his life in the time loop that he’s released from his punishment. As funny as it is sentimentally romantic,Groundhog Dayis a classic for a reason.
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Redemption comes in many forms, and in Wim Wenders’sParis, Texas, the best way Travis (Harry Dean Stanton) can achieve this is by leaving his past behind him. As aslow-paced movie that’s still mind-blowing,Paris, Texas, takes its time introducing the audience to Travis and deliberately unraveling the mystery of his backgroundand what brought him to the present. When he first appears, he’s practically mute, and it’s clear that he’s abandoned his son to the care of his brother for years.
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After discovering what led Travis to go off the grid and disappear for so long, the audience’s persepctive shifts.Paris, Texas, reminds us that we don’t have to forgive the protagonist or let them off the hook for them to get redemption. It’s enough that Travis reunites his son with his mother and paves the way for them to have a life without them. Though there are sweet moments between Travis and his son,his going away seals the truth of his act of selflessness.
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One of Pixar’s best recent projects and most underrated,Soulis a gorgeously animated and well-told story that tugs at your heartstrings as much as all the studio’s movies.Jamie Foxx voices Joe, a jazz pianist with big dreams and ambitions who finds the meaning of life in an unexpected place. During life, Joe was so concerned with his goals and passions that he forgot to live life to the fullest. When his soul accidentally ends up in the afterlife, he meets another soul who doesn’t understand his wish to live.
Though Joe is a good man and a likable character, this doesn’t mean he’s immune to needing redemption. As his mother tells him throughout his life, he’s missing out on chances and experiences because of his single-minded desires. This clouds his judgment, and it takes a lot for Joe to realize that there’s more to being on Earth than he thought. His change in perspective anddeeper understanding of what life is for gives Joe the redemption he didn’t know he needed.
Like many characters most in need of redemption, Will (Matt Damon) is not at fault for the circumstances that brought out the angry and fearful young man he’s come to be. It takes a lot of work for Will to open up and even longer for him to realize thathis redemption doesn’t have to involve a high-powered job or using his intellect.Though the discovery of Will’s genius is the catalyst for the story’s events, Will’s character arc truly begins when he meets Sean (Robin Williams).
ThoughGood Will Huntingopens up many doors for Will throughout the story, the moment of redemption comes when Will decides to leave behind other people’s expectations and live for himself.
Sean is the first person not to want anything from Will but for him to discover what he wants and what will make him happy. ThoughGood Will Huntingopens up many doors for Will throughout the story, the moment of redemption comes when Will decides to leave behind other people’s expectations and live for himself. He’ll always be connected to his past, but he learns that the best thing he can do is allow himself to move on.
Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson leadIn Bruges,a dark comedy about two hitmen waiting for order in Bruges, Belgium. The story begins with Ray (Farrell) accidentally killing a child, the act that haunts him for the rest of the story and colors his feelings and experiences from there on. Though he acts apathetic in the wake of the murder, it’s clear that Ray is struggling with this horrible crime. Throughout the film, Ray considers what he can do to come back from this moment.
WhileIn Brugesis unquestionably dark, it’s thanks to the strong script and performances thatIn Brugesisn’t bogged down by sadness and can find comedy in this depressing conceit. The ending ofIn Brugesis complex, leaving Ray’s arc open to audience interpretation.The project is a great example of a redemption movie that isn’t quite sure if its protagonist is worthyof redemption.In Brugesrefuses to cast judgment or say what should happen to Ray, simply letting his story unfold.
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Gene Hackman’s performance inThe Royal Tenenbaumswas an iconic role for the late actor to go out on, as his work as Royal is unforgettable. Still stylized,The Royal Tenenbaumsis one of Wes Anderson’s more understated projectssince he made it early in his career. However, this allows the characters and stories to speak for themselves, which works in favor of Royal’s redemption arc. After spending his life selfishly and neglecting his children, Royal suddenly cooks up a scheme to bring them closer, realizing how much he’s missed along the way.
The Royal Tenenbaumsdoes a good job of acknowledging the fact that Royal has many faults but that this doesn’t negate his ultimate love for his family.
Hackman is far from the only iconic actor in the cast, as the ensemble boasts Anjelica Huston, Danny Glover, Ben Stiller, and Gwyneth Paltrow, to name a few. Though it’s Royal’s redemption that we follow inThe Royal Tenenbaums, the way his children attempt to reconcile with him or reject him leads the aging patriarch to reflect on who he is.The Royal Tenenbaums does a good job of acknowledging the fact that Royal has many faults but that this doesn’t negate his ultimate love for his family.
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As much about recovering from grief as it is about redemption,Ryusuke Hamaguchi’sDrive My Carderives its story from a short work by Haruki Murakami.Following the intersecting lives of the play director, Yūsuke (Hidetoshi Nishijima), and his chauffeur, Misaki (Tōko Miura),Drive My Carsees each of them grapple with their roles in the deaths of their loved ones. Both Misaki and Yūsuke have to confront their anger towards Misaki’s mother and Yūsuke’s wife for the harm they caused in life that lingers past their deaths.
Though they haven’t done anything wrong,both Misaki and Yūsuke are punishing themselves and are on a journey of internal redemption.The burgeoning father-daughter dynamic between Yūsuke and Misaki also helps the pair recover from their familial traumas and learn to let love back into their lives. Considered one of the best and most underrated movies of the early 2020s,Drive My Caris a thought-provoking and nuanced addition to the genre.
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