Shakespeare Behind Bars
International Film Circuit | Release Date: March 10, 2006 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
74
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews
Positive:
14
Mixed:
1
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
Shakespeare himself couldn't have written better or more complex characters, and far from strange, by the end of this extraordinary film you couldn't imagine Shakespeare performed anywhere else. Read full review
100
Portland OregonianM. E. Russell
By presenting murderers as actors and then filming those actors discussing their sins, the line between performance and soul-searching blurs in unnerving ways. Read full review
88
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
The power of art to redeem the pain and cruelty of life is demonstrated to enormous effect inShakespeare Behind Bars. Read full review
75
New York Daily NewsJami Bernard
The mere fact that Shakespeare can teach hardened criminals to search their souls gives hope that forgiveness and redemption are possible. Read full review
75
Seattle Post-IntelligencerBill White
This unusual journey behind prison bars is not only a plea for the rehabilitation of incarcerated criminals, but a testament to the redemptive powers of art. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleWalter Addiego
This affecting documentary focuses on their 2004 production, a play whose themes of forgiveness and redemption certainly ought to have some resonance for the inmates. Read full review
75
Christian Science MonitorPeter Rainer
Director Hank Rogerson casts a sympathetic eye on the proceedings. Read full review
70
Film ThreatJeremy Mathews
Rogerson has crafted an emotionally satisfying exploration of the creative process through people who, before the program started, weren't comfortable with expressing themselves at all. Read full review
70
Village VoiceMatt Singer
Rogerson's structure is ingenious: He dilutes our initial skepticism by showcasing the prisoners' thoughtfulness and intelligence, and as soon as we've come to care for the men he shocks us with the details of their crimes. Read full review
70
The New York TimesJeannette Catsoulis
The filmmakers, Hank Rogerson and Jilann Spitzmiller, encourage us to marvel at the transformative power of art. In Shakespeare Behind Bars, the most restricted people in society find freedom in performance and release in words. Read full review
70
L.A. WeeklyJessica Winter
Albeit a tad repetitive, Shakespeare Behind Bars succeeds in humanizing men we might too easily label as monsters, and provides a solid argument in favor of prisons that place rehabilitation above retribution. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesKevin Crust
The main strength of "Shakespeare" is its ability to show the vulnerability of its subjects, neither judging nor smothering them with undeserved praise. Read full review
70
Chicago ReaderJ.R. Jones
This fascinating video documentary covers a nine-month rehearsal of Shakespeare's final play by inmates at the Luther Luckett Correctional Complex in La Grange, Kentucky. Read full review
63
New York PostKyle Smith
A group of inmates are turned into theater people. Haven't they suffered enough? Read full review
60
VarietyJoe Leydon
There's no denying the pic's overall impact as a compelling study of art as a source of transcendence. And it will come as no surprise if this well-crafted doc eventually serves as source material for a dramatic feature. Read full review
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