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Crime drama

Brubaker (1980): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Brubaker (1980) movie poster

Brubaker is a 1980 crime drama directed by Stuart Rosenberg, starring Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman and Yaphet Kotto. It runs 2 hours 11 minutes and earned $37.1 million worldwide. It was nominated for 1 Oscar. Critics gave it 74% on Rotten Tomatoes and 54 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.1/10.

IMDb rating
7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes
74%
worldwide gross
$37.1M
award nomination
1
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Brubaker (1980) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 11m (131 min)
Director
Stuart Rosenberg
Genres
Drama , Crime
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Brubaker About?

The premise of Brubaker without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Undercover, a state investigator named Henry Brubaker assumes the identity of a prisoner to expose corruption within an Arkansas penitentiary. Robert Redford portrays Brubaker as he navigates the harsh realities of prison life and uncovers a system rife with brutality and abuse. With the help of loyal allies like Dickie Coombes and Lillian Gray, he strives to implement much-needed reforms, confronting powerful adversaries who benefit from the existing conditions.

Brubaker Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • corruption
  • prison
  • abuse of power
  • undercover
  • character name as title
  • murdered in prison
  • physical abuse
  • cruelty
  • brutality
  • dead body
  • penal system
  • penal labor
+38 more
  • penal industry
  • prison guard
  • prison board
  • forced labor
  • american justice
  • american prison
  • incarceration
  • tense
  • mass grave
  • exploitation of prisoners
  • mess
  • shady
  • grievance
  • criminologist
  • bureaucracy
  • inhumane
  • investigative
  • prison rape
  • murder
  • american south
  • exhumation
  • prison reform
  • prison warden
  • based on true story
  • male nudity
  • undercover in prison
  • undercover mission
  • slow clap
  • prison bus
  • prison labor
  • complicity
  • hopelessness
  • institutionalized
  • prison shower
  • labor
  • prison trustee
  • social commentary
  • prison guard uniform
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Cast & crew

Brubaker Cast

Robert Redford leads the cast, with Morgan Freeman and Yaphet Kotto. Directed by Stuart Rosenberg; 10 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Stuart Rosenberg

More films directed by Stuart Rosenberg, best-rated first: Cool Hand Luke, Pocket Money, The Drowning Pool and Love and Bullets.

Full filmography
Ratings

Brubaker Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Brubaker 74% on Rotten Tomatoes and 54 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.1/10.

Plot

Brubaker Plot Summary

What happens in Brubaker from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Newly appointed Arkansas State Wakefield Prison warden Henry Brubaker arrives at the penitentiary disguised as a prisoner, joining a bus full of new inmates. He quickly finds himself navigating the grim realities of prison life: insufficient beds, appalling food quality, malfunctioning showers, rampant sexual violence in the barracks, and cruel punishment methods. The scene becomes particularly riveting when Brubaker discovers a maggot in his meal. Later, he learns of inmate Larry Lee Bullen being taken away under the guise of a phone call only to be brutally beaten.

Full summary

The whole story of Brubaker, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Brubaker Box Office

Brubaker grossed $37.1 million worldwide.

1980 box office

Worldwide gross

$37.1M

US & Canada
$37.1M
Awards

Brubaker Awards & Nominations

Brubaker was nominated for 1 Oscar.

1 nomination1 ceremony

  • Academy Awards (Oscars) logo
    Oscars 1981 1 nomination
    • Nominated Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen)
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Brubaker?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What alias does Warden Brubaker use when he first arrives at Wakefield Prison?

Cars

Cars in Brubaker

10 cars on screen, including the 1974 Dodge Kary Van and the 1970 Ford F-Series.

All 10 cars
  • 1974 Dodge Kary Van in Brubaker 1974 Dodge Kary Van Important role
  • 1970 Ford F-Series in Brubaker 1970 Ford F-Series Important role
  • 1969 Lincoln Continental Mark III in Brubaker 1969 Lincoln Continental Mark III Important role
  • 1970 Plymouth Fury in Brubaker 1970 Plymouth Fury Important role
Details

Brubaker Also Known As

11 alternative titles, including “Więzień Brubaker” and “Μπρουμπέικερ, το Πιο Σκληρό Αγκάθι στη Ζούγκλα με τα Σίδερα”.

Also known as
  • Więzień Brubaker
  • Μπρουμπέικερ, το Πιο Σκληρό Αγκάθι στη Ζούγκλα με τα Σίδερα
  • ברובייקר
  • Брубейкер
  • Брубейкър
  • Bilincs
  • 黑狱风云
  • بروبیکر
  • 도전
  • Brubaker - kiveäkin kovempi
  • En bombe under systemet

Seen Brubaker?

FAQ

Brubaker FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Brubaker, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Brubaker?

Brubaker runs 2 hours 11 minutes (131 minutes).

When was Brubaker released?

Brubaker was released on June 20, 1980.

Who directed Brubaker?

Brubaker was directed by Stuart Rosenberg.

More films by Stuart Rosenberg

Who is in the cast of Brubaker?

Brubaker stars Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman and Yaphet Kotto, among 10 credited actors.

How much did Brubaker make at the box office?

Brubaker grossed $37.1 million worldwide.

How is Brubaker rated?

Brubaker has 7.1/10 on IMDb, 74% on Rotten Tomatoes, 54 on Metacritic and 71% on TMDB.

Was Brubaker nominated for any awards?

Brubaker received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.

Does Brubaker have a post-credit scene?

No. Brubaker has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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