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Shakespeare Behind Bars
Directed by
Hank Rogerson
Not Rated
2005
1h 33m
Documentary
7.6
93%
84%
4.8
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Twenty male inmates in a Kentucky prison form an unlikely Shakespearean acting troupe.
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Where to Watch Shakespeare Behind Bars
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Cast of Shakespeare Behind Bars
Hank Rogerson
self / Director / Writer
Jilann Spitzmiller
self / Writer
James Stemple
self / Music
Shana Hagan
self
Shakespeare Behind Bars Ratings & Reviews
Chicago Reader
J. 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.
DVD Review
Felix Gonzalez Jr.
... a truly compelling examination of the extent to which art can lift the human spirit, no matter how tragic the surrounding circumstances may be.
Film Journal International
David Noh
It's a tribute to the dry-eyed empathy of the filmmakers that these men, guilty of the most heinous crimes of murder and violence, somehow manage to win your sympathy.
Window to the Movies
Jeffrey Chen
I found this documentary to be sobering, even optimistic ... it's a reminder that being human means being complex.
Christian Science Monitor
Peter Rainer
The up-close interviews with the prisoners, many of whom are in jail for murder, are the heart of the film.
Los Angeles Times
Kevin Crust
Rogerson and producer Jilann Spitzmiller ably convey the humanity of the inmates while also exposing them as deeply flawed individuals. The film also reconfirms the enduring relevance and power of Shakespeare and his adaptability to almost any milieu.
L.A. Weekly
Jessica 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.
Chicago Tribune
Michael Wilmington
Few non-fiction films about the arts hit as hard or soar to such heights of poetry and humanity.
Boston Globe
Wesley Morris
Observes as the inmates use theater to massage knots of guilt and anguish in their psyches.
New Times
Luke Y. Thompson
Perhaps it's just the inner drama geek talking, but there's something extremely compelling about seeing hardened felons preparing to put on a classic play with the enthusiasm of giddy schoolgirls.
San Francisco Chronicle
Walter V. Addiego
The film makes the case -- one that always needs making -- that, despite what they've done, these men retain some shred of humanity.
Oregonian
Mike 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.
Denver Post
Michael Booth
Rogerson lets the cameras roll, and we get real insight into daily prison life. But he doesn't stop to create context, and we feel stuck inside the razor wire.
Seattle Times
Moira MacDonald
An immensely moving tribute to the power of art.
New York Post
Kyle Smith
We'd all like to believe that art is a lot more powerful than it is, but during rehearsals, two inmates who swear that Shakespeare has shown them the light are instead cast off to the Hole for breaking prison rules.
New York Daily News
Jami Bernard
The mere fact that Shakespeare can teach hardened criminals to search their souls gives hope that forgiveness and redemption are possible -- even at the bottom of the human barrel.
New York Times
Jeannette Catsoulis
In Shakespeare Behind Bars, the most restricted people in society find freedom in performance and release in words.
Variety
Joe Leydon
There's no denying the pic's overall impact as a compelling study of art as a source of transcendence.
Newsday
Jan Stuart
Any minute of this low-budget, digitally shot documentary packs more punch than the entirety of most triumph-of-the-human-spirit blockbusters.
Village Voice
Matt 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.
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