Brubaker

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Brubaker

R

Released Jun 20, 1980

2h 12m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

74%

Tomatometer

23 Reviews

74%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Posing as an inmate at a small Arkansas prison, the new warden of the penitentiary, Henry Brubaker (Robert Redford), witnesses firsthand the corruption and abuse inflicted upon the prisoners by the staff. After revealing his true identity, Brubaker brings much-needed reform to the prison with the help of supporters Dickie Coombes (Yaphet Kotto) and Lillian Gray (Jane Alexander). Yet when the benefactors of the old corrupt system are threatened by the changes, Brubaker's battles really begin.

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Linda Deutsch

Associated Press

Brubaker is a grim, often powerful prison movie based on the true story of convict torture and mass murder in a Southern penitentiary.

Mar 4, 2019

Full Review

Michael Blowen

Boston Globe

Brubaker is a dramatic movie with a social conscience and a welcome change from the primarily fluffy-headed film fare of the summer of 1980.

Apr 28, 2018

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Gary Arnold

Washington Post

... a vivid, entertaining and shamelessly manipulative "crusading" melodrama about the impact of a reform warden on a barbarous penal institution.

Oct 17, 2017

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

It's interesting to note that Brubaker, before it devotes itself entirely to the protagonist's exploits, boasts a first act revolving around the happenings within the central penitentiary...

Rated: 2/4

Mar 4, 2019

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Creative Loafing

The first half-hour is powerful stuff, but after Brubaker reveals his true identity, the movie begins to falter, with the one-dimensional nature of the characters (particularly the warden himself) eventually stripping the story of any dramatic charge.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jun 9, 2013

Full Review

James Plath

Movie Metropolis

I never felt that I was wasting my time watching 'Brubaker,' only that it could have been a more dramatic and taut prison movie-which is odd, because it's directed by Stuart Rosenberg ('Cool Hand Luke').

Rated: 6/10

May 15, 2013

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Nicole F

I often recommend this movie to my students, as it is a gem. It depicts a man’s struggle against the status quo, his stuborness, determination and refusal to bend, which leaves you with a question, if he did the right thing, in the long run. The ending is superb. Redford can act with just a tiny pull of his lips, and and reveal a tornado of inner emotions. Not to miss.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/14/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Superb, man against the system film that is one of Redford’s best. Brings up important issues regarding how to treat prisoners as wards of the state.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/27/24

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Steve D

Robert Redford's great performance can't save the over the top script. The true story was bad enough.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/12/23

Full Review

Shioka O

Better watch with Cool Hand Luke. This could be better, still a good film. Redford maybe too nice for this, but I liked he undercover and being an observer in the beginning.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/05/22

Full Review

Audience Member

A brilliant film on every level. Keen insight into the prison system, one man’s personal integrity…and perhaps integrity gone awry. A classic ‘man against the system’ film. Think of “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” with grit and edge. One of Redford’s very best.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/06/23

Full Review

deke p

1989. ROBERT REDFORD, male model, miscast as crusading warden investigating corrupt Southern prison. Actually 'based on a true' warden Brubaker. Yaphet Kotto stared also, as prisoner. Melodrama. Note to sef: want to watch the first part, agin. Never saw before on The Movie Channel, 2.15.22.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

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Stuart Rosenberg

Director

Robert Redford

Henry Brubaker

Yaphet Kotto

Richard `'Dickie'` Coombes

Jane Alexander

Lillian Gray

Murray Hamilton

John Deach

David Keith

Larry Lee Bullen

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Synopsis

Posing as an inmate at a small Arkansas prison, the new warden of the penitentiary, Henry Brubaker (Robert Redford), witnesses firsthand the corruption and abuse inflicted upon the prisoners by the staff. After revealing his true identity, Brubaker brings much-needed reform to the prison with the help of supporters Dickie Coombes (Yaphet Kotto) and Lillian Gray (Jane Alexander). Yet when the benefactors of the old corrupt system are threatened by the changes, Brubaker's battles really begin.

Director: Stuart Rosenberg
Producer: Ron Silverman
Screenwriter: W.D. Richter
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: 20th Century Fox
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 20, 1980, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2014
Runtime: 2h 12m

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