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Shawshank Redemption is "a love affair between two men" says co-star Morgan Freeman

For Morgan Freeman, the quintessential "bro" movie The Shawshank Redemption contains a touching love story about two men

An image from The Shawshank Redemption — Image credit: Columbia Pictures

News by Jules Chin Greene, Staff Writer

Published on Thu Nov 13 2025

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There are some intense interpersonal relationships in Stephen King's stories, and that's certainly reflected onscreen in his movie adaptations. Think about the bond between Vries and Garraty in The Long Walk, Edgecomb and Coffey in The Green Mile, the Losers Club in It, and all of the plague survivors in The Stand. If anything, what unites so many Stephen King stories is the bonds that people form in the darkest of places and situations.

Now, The Shawshank Redemption may be considered by some chronically online people as a quintessential 'film bro' or simply a 'bro' movie. But actor Morgan Freeman has a more nuanced view of it. He shared his thoughts on how this bond plays out in one of King's most lauded film adaptations. Speaking to The Guardian, Freeman said, “I always say that [The Shawshank Redemption is] a movie about a love affair between two men, in that they had their ups and downs and ins and outs. And it’s something about the fact that they were in prison and experiencing this hope, redemption, resilience. Somehow that movie has grabbed the consciences of people all over the place, everywhere."

The Shawshank Redemption brought Freeman and Tim Robbins together as two inmates at the notorious prison who find companionship with each other. It's gone on to be considered as one of the greatest films of all time, thanks to the relationship between the two characters. There is something to be said about Freeman considering the film to be a "love affair," because the film ends with the two men reuniting happily and practically walking off into the sunset together.

Let's also remember that love exists in many forms beyond just romantic love, and Morgan Freeman is here to remind us all about that.

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Jules Chin Greene: Jules Chin Greene is a journalist and Jack Kirby enthusiast. He has written about comics, video games, movies, and television for sites such as Nerdist, AIPT, and Multiverse of Color.