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What's After the Movie?
Biographical drama

Shine (1996): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Shine (1996) movie poster

Shine is a 1996 biographical drama directed by Scott Hicks, starring Geoffrey Rush and Armin Mueller-Stahl. It runs 1 hour 45 minutes and earned $36 million worldwide. It won 1 Oscar, including Actor in a Leading Role, and 8 awards in all. Critics gave it 87 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.6/10.

IMDb rating
7.6/10
worldwide gross
$36M
Oscar won
1
Metascore
87
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Shine (1996) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 45m (105 min)
Director
Scott Hicks
Genres
Biography , Drama , Romance , Music
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Shine About?

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

A gifted pianist with a promising future, David Helfgott's career and mental health are derailed in his early twenties, leading to years of isolation. Later in life, he discovers comfort and a chance at redemption through a loving relationship, which inspires a remarkable return to the stage. This journey explores the depths of his struggles and ultimately celebrates a triumphant comeback.

Shine Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • piano
  • pianist
  • australia
  • child prodigy
  • schizophrenia
  • beach
  • marriage proposal
  • newspaper
  • apology
  • playing piano
  • driving at night
  • blonde
+38 more
  • jewish
  • abusive father
  • piano concerto
  • restaurant
  • bath
  • child abuse
  • trampoline
  • pool
  • royal college of music
  • mental illness
  • classical music
  • electroconvulsive therapy
  • lighting a cigarette
  • cigar smoking
  • breast groping
  • girl wears eyeglasses
  • man wears eyeglasses
  • boy wears eyeglasses
  • lying on a bed
  • reference to frederic chopin
  • reference to sergei rachmaninoff
  • bar mitzvah
  • reference to franz liszt
  • opening scene repeated later in film
  • 1960s
  • 1970s
  • repeated line
  • inspired by a true story
  • piano virtuoso
  • london england
  • father's grave
  • royal albert hall london
  • trafalgar square london
  • handshake
  • bathing
  • local blockbuster
  • awakening
  • father
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Cast & crew

Shine Cast

Geoffrey Rush leads the cast, with Armin Mueller-Stahl. Directed by Scott Hicks.

Ratings

Shine Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Shine 87 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.6/10.

Plot

Shine Plot Summary

What happens in Shine 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

A young man, Geoffrey Rush, finds himself caught in the grips of a torrential downpour and takes refuge in a nearby restaurant. The staff, concerned for his well-being, try to discern whether he needs assistance. Despite his frantic manner of speaking making communication challenging, a waitress named Sylvia manages to learn that his name is David Helfgott and that he is temporarily staying at a local hotel. After her shift, she helps him return to the hotel, but their interaction ends abruptly as Sylvia, overwhelmed by David’s attempt to impress her with his musical insights, decides to leave.

Full summary

The whole story of Shine, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Shine Box Office

Shine grossed $36 million worldwide. $35.9 million came from the US and Canada and $106,751 (0%) from the rest of the world.

1996 box office

Worldwide gross

$36M

US & Canada
$35.9M
International
$106.8K
US & Canada 100% Rest of the world 0%
Awards

Shine Awards & Nominations

Shine won 1 Oscar, including Actor in a Leading Role, and 8 awards in all. Its biggest night was the BAFTA 1997, with 2 wins from 9 nominations.

8 wins28 nominations7 ceremonies

Show all 7 ceremonies
Videos

Shine Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Shine.

Trailer Shine -1996-
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Shine?

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 is the name of the main character in 'Shine'?

Cars

Cars in Shine

16 cars on screen, including the 1960 Jaguar Mk.II and the 1986 Ford Falcon.

All 16 cars
  • 1960 Jaguar Mk.II in Shine 1960 Jaguar Mk.II Important role
  • 1986 Ford Falcon in Shine 1986 Ford Falcon Minor role
  • 1952 Humber Super Snipe Mk IV in Shine 1952 Humber Super Snipe Mk IV Minor role
  • 1964 Morris Minor 1000 Traveller in Shine 1964 Morris Minor 1000 Traveller Minor role
Details

Shine Also Known As

22 alternative titles, including “Shine - Der Weg ans Licht” and “Shine. El resplandor de un genio”.

Also known as
  • Shine - Der Weg ans Licht
  • Shine. El resplandor de un genio
  • Блеск
  • Záře
  • 钢琴师
  • 샤인
  • Ragyogj!
  • 闪亮的风采
  • Shine - Der Weg ins Licht
  • Loisto
  • Simplesmente Genial
  • ניצוצות
+10 more
  • Ο Σολίστας
  • Shine - Brilhante
  • Blask
  • Блиск
  • シャイン
  • Claroscuro
  • تألق
  • 鋼琴師
  • Strălucire
  • ชายน์ โชคดีที่สวรรค์ไม่ลำเอียง

Seen Shine?

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Movies Like Shine

Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Shine on Harvest Moon, Our Shining Days and A Shine of Rainbows.

FAQ

Shine FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

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

How long is Shine?

Shine runs 1 hour 45 minutes (105 minutes).

When was Shine released?

Shine was released on November 20, 1996.

Who directed Shine?

Shine was directed by Scott Hicks.

More films by Scott Hicks

Who is in the cast of Shine?

Shine stars Geoffrey Rush and Armin Mueller-Stahl.

How much did Shine make at the box office?

Shine grossed $36 million worldwide ($35.9 million domestic, $106,751 international).

How is Shine rated?

Shine has 7.6/10 on IMDb, 87 on Metacritic and 74% on TMDB.

What awards did Shine win?

Shine won 8 awards from 28 nominations, including Best Actor in a Leading Role at the BAFTA 1997.

Does Shine have a post-credit scene?

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

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