Life sentence movies and TV shows
The list contains the best, new and most relevant life sentence movies ordered by relevance. The recommendation service has sorted out realistic, suspense, captivating, serious, psychological and tense films and TV shows about / with life sentence, prison, violence, murder, prison life, prisoner, death, confined, life is a bitch and jail plots mostly in Drama, Crime and Biography genres shot in USA, UK, France and other countries.
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TOP 10 movies tagged as life sentence: Papillon (2017), The Wrath of Cain (2010), The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Life (1999), For Life (2020), Olene Kadar (2017), Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), Oz (1997), The Blood Lady (2018), Undisputed (2002).
Best films
New films
List of life sentence movies
95K
Genre: Adventure, Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: USA, Czech Republic, Spain
Duration: 133 min.
Story:
Henri "Papillon" Charrière is convicted in Paris for a murder he did not commit. Sentenced to life imprisonment in the penal colony of French Guiana, he becomes obsessed with escaping. After planning and executing a series of treacherous ...
Style:
suspense, factual, homoerotic, psychological, art house ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
prison escape, prison, island prison, friendship, wrongful conviction, life sentence, escape, jail, escape plan, male friendship, solitary, survival ...
Time:
year 2017, year 1931, 1930s, year 1969, 20th century ...
Place:
south america, colombia, france, former yugoslavia, venezuela ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 84 min.
Story:
A former kingpin of the streets, Miles “Cain” Skinner is doing life in prison. He is feared and respected among the inmates. When Cain learns that his sentence will be shortened only by brain cancer, his urgency to change his ways goes into ...
Style:
serious, rough, realistic, crime drama, captivating ...
Plot:
life sentence, prison life, prison, terminal illness, tough heroes, parents and children, hopes, family problems, life is a bitch, rivalry, uninhibited rivalry, redemption ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
south america, usa
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 142 min.
Story:
Framed in the 1940s for the double murder of his wife and her lover, upstanding banker Andy Dufresne begins a new life at the Shawshank prison, where he puts his accounting skills to work for an amoral warden. During his long stretch in prison, ...
Style:
clever, uplifting, inspirational, touching, twist ending ...
Audience:
date night, chick flick, teens, kids, family friendly ...
Plot:
prison, prison escape, freedom, friendship between men, hopes, friendship, corruption, human spirit, justice, prison life, life, stephen king ...
Time:
1940s, 1950s, 90s, year 1994, 2010s ...
Place:
usa, maine, columbus ohio, persia, iran ...
Is relevant?
61K
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
Two men in 1930s Mississippi become friends after being sentenced to life in prison together for a crime they did not commit.
Style:
funny, humorous, surprise ending, entertaining, semi serious ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
twists and turns, prison, life sentence, murder, friendship between men, african american, prison escape, prison life, racist, baseball, racism, escape attempt ...
Time:
1930s, 90s, year 1932, year 1944, year 1972 ...
Place:
mississippi, new york, usa, southern usa, harlem ...
Is relevant?
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10K
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 43 min.
TV show
Story:
A prisoner becomes a lawyer, litigating cases for other inmates while fighting to overturn his own life sentence for a crime he didn’t commit.
Style:
captivating, psychological, disturbing, inspirational
Plot:
confined, wrongful conviction, prison, lawyer, mind game, life sentence, scheme, prisoner, legal, jailed, jail, confinement indoors ...
Time:
2020s, 21st century
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: Turkey
Duration: 120 min.
TV show
Story:
Dağhan is a doctor who tries to get his proficiency however, finds himself in jail. He loses his hope, his future, his lover and the most beautiful days of his lives due the crime that he has never committed. He is sentenced to life imprisonment.
Style:
touching, disturbing, sincere, psychological, dramatic ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
life sentence, betrayal, justice, female lawyer, lawyer client relationship, convict, love and romance, life turned upside down, male female relationship, frame up, wrongful conviction, twists and turns ...
Place:
istanbul turkey, turkey
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 147 min.
Story:
After killing a prison guard, convict Robert Stroud faces life imprisonment in solitary confinement. Driven nearly mad by loneliness and despair, Stroud's life gains new meaning when he happens upon a helpless baby sparrow in the exercise yard ...
Style:
black and white, realistic, serious, captivating, atmospheric ...
Plot:
prison, bird, warden, life sentence, alcatraz, redemption, medical, pet bird, biopic, rebel, self discovery, isolation ...
Time:
20th century, year 1962, 1910s, 1920s, 1940s ...
Place:
san francisco, bay area, kansas, usa
Is relevant?
116K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min.
TV show
Story:
The daily lives of prisoners in Emerald City, an experimental unit of the Oswald Maximum Security Prison where ingroups - Muslims, Latinos, Italians, Aryans - stick close to their mutual friends and terrorizes their mutual enemies.
Style:
realistic, suspenseful, rough, disturbing, talky ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
prison life, prison, convict, confined, violence spree, rape, gang, gay, gang violence, strong sexual content, prison rape, aryan brotherhood ...
Time:
90s, 20th century, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
new york
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Thriller
Country: Russia
Duration: 52 min.
TV show
Story:
18th century, The Russian Empire. The series tells the life story of Darya Saltykova, who was called Saltychikha by serfs. The landowner brutally tortured about one and half hundreds peasants, for which "Russian Elizabeth Bathory" was ...
Style:
artsy, sadistic, atmospheric, crying, exciting ...
Plot:
peasant, twists and turns, life sentence, death sentence, torture, sadist, convent, loveless marriage, death of husband, pardon, violence, sadistic killer ...
Time:
18th century
Place:
moscow russia, russia
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Sport
Country: USA, Germany, Japan
Duration: 94 min.
Story:
Monroe Hutchens is the heavyweight champion of Sweetwater, a maximum security prison. He was convicted to a life sentence due to a passionate crime. Iceman Chambers is the heavyweight champion, who lost his title due to a rape conviction to ten ...
Style:
suspense, talky, intense, stylized, tense ...
Audience:
boys' night, teens
Plot:
prison, violence, fight, boxing, prisoner, african american, prison fight, hip hop, mafia, tough guy, martial arts, gangster ...
Time:
year 2002, 21st century
Place:
usa, mojave desert, las vegas, nevada, california ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, History, Romance
Country: South Korea
Duration: 112 min.
Story:
Activist Hyun-woo is released from prison after a 17-year stint. Journeying back to the village where he spent some time as a fugitive he recalls the time spent with Yoon-hee, a woman who gave him shelter and companionship.
Style:
serious, realistic, sincere, touching
Plot:
life sentence, tragic love, love affair, political unrest, love and romance, society, couples, fall in love, couple relations, state affairs, isolation, father daughter reunion ...
Time:
80s, 20th century
Place:
south korea, asia, korea, seoul
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Romance, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 111 min.
Story:
Lewis, Sheriff and Tony are three friends vacationing in Malaysia. Sheriff and Tony eventually leave to pursue careers in New York, but Lewis stays behind to work with orangutans. Two years later, Sheriff and Tony learn that, because of their past ...
Style:
realistic, suspense, weeping, sad, contemplative ...
Plot:
prison, women in prison, death sentence, redemption, friendship, moral dilemma, guilt, drug addiction, drug, courage, lawyer, death row ...
Time:
year 1998, 20th century, 90s
Place:
malaysia, southeast asia, new york, asia, usa ...
Is relevant?
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Genre: Action, Horror
Country: USA
Duration: 115 min.
Story:
After barely surviving a furious shootout with the police, Baby Firefly, Otis Driftwood and Captain Spaulding are behind bars. But pure evil cannot be contained. Teaming up with Otis’ half-brother Wilson, the demented Firefly clan escape to ...
Style:
slasher, suspense, rough, suspenseful, scary ...
Plot:
violence, clown, panic, massacre, serial murder, female nudity, insanity, murderer, psychopath, lethal injection, halloween, sociopath ...
Time:
year 2019, year 1988, 80s
Place:
mexico, texas
Is relevant?
145K
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: France, USA
Duration: 151 min.
Story:
A man befriends a fellow criminal as the two of them begin serving their sentence on a dreadful prison island, which inspires the man to plot his escape.
Style:
inspirational, psychological, visually stunning, grim, mind twisting ...
Plot:
prison escape, prison, life philosophy, escape, prison break, runaway, prison life, jail, protector, human spirit, escape attempt, escape plan ...
Time:
year 1973, 1940s, 20th century, 1930s, 70s
Place:
south america, persia, guyana, latin america, atlantic ocean
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: Switzerland, UK, USA
Duration: 107 min.
Story:
When Betty Anne Waters' older brother Kenny is arrested for murder and sentenced to life in 1983, Betty Anne, a Massachusetts wife and mother of two, dedicates her life to overturning the murder conviction. Convinced that her brother is ...
Style:
sincere, emotional, inspirational, touching, sad ...
Audience:
family friendly, adult
Plot:
legal, lawyer, courtroom drama, fighting the system, trial, prison, injustice, false accusation, hopes, court, strong female character, freedom ...
Time:
year 1995, year 2001, year 1989, year 1992, 90s ...
Place:
massachusetts, rhode island, usa, boston
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: India
Duration: 188 min.
Story:
Bhagat Singh, a freedom fighter, is arrested for killing the British official responsible for the death of his mentor Lala Lajpatrai. He is ultimately hanged for his misdeed.
Style:
disturbing, rough, serious, realistic, captivating
Plot:
prison, prison life, vengeance, politics, life sentence, legal, life is a bitch, rebelliousness, police brutality, trial, police officer killed, torture ...
Time:
1930s, 1920s, year 1931, 20th century
Place:
india, asia
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min.
Story:
Elijah has been bounced from group home to group home throughout his turbulent young life. What has sustained him is his art. After a promised scholarship is taken away, Elijah ends up in a fight that result in the death of another boy. Now, ...
Style:
serious, captivating, sincere, rough, hood ...
Plot:
prison, injustice, hip hop, juvenile delinquency, criminal heroes, musician's life, redemption, prison life, youth, society, murder, life sentence ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
africa
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 88 min.
Story:
A drama centered on a young man working in Rhode Island's state corrections system and his relationship with a convicted murderer who is dying of AIDS and spending his remaining days on hospital detail.
Style:
touching, emotional, realistic, serious, independent film ...
Plot:
prison, hospital, redemption, life is a bitch, hopes, one more chance, family relations, estrangement, life sentence, haunted by the past, terminal illness, murderer ...
Place:
rhode island, usa
Is relevant?
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Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, Romance
Country: Italy, France
Duration: 110 min.
Story:
The last few years in the life of Armida Miserere, female jail director who committed suicide
Style:
serious, realistic, captivating, non-linear
Plot:
prison, prison life, fighting crime, government facility, price of justice, fish out of water, life is a bitch, society, feminism, government official, life sentence, prison guard ...
Time:
90s, 20th century, 80s, 2000s
Place:
italy, europe, palermo italy
Is relevant?
636
Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 81 min.
Story:
An African American male is imprisoned and placed in solitary confinement after being found guilty of murdering his wife, as he's haunted by internal demons and his dead wife, and pushed to the breaking point by an abusive female guard.
Style:
psychological, scary, suspenseful, psychotronic, bleak ...
Plot:
dead wife, isolation, african american, evil woman, murder, insanity, innocence, racism, racial discrimination, nightmare, psychiatrist, fear ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
usa
Is relevant?
Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Canada
Duration: 95 min.
Story:
Wrongly condemned for killing his wife, a man finds himself in a mysterious institution where he is sentenced to relive her death for eternity.
Style:
psychological, suspense, captivating, tense, retro ...
Plot:
time loop, false accusation, life is a bitch, dishonesty, life sentence, violence, danger, afterlife, twists and turns, paradox, time travel, mental health ...
Time:
near future, 21st century
Place:
canada
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 121 min.
Story:
Billy Hayes is caught attempting to smuggle drugs out of Turkey. The Turkish courts decide to make an example of him, sentencing him to more than 30 years in prison. Hayes has two opportunities for release: the appeals made by his lawyer, his ...
Style:
disturbing, suspense, realistic, depressing, psychological ...
Plot:
prison, brutality, torture, injustice, lawyer, escape, prison life, prison escape, drug, drug smuggling, court, violent ...
Time:
70s, 20th century, year 1970, year 1978, year 1975 ...
Place:
turkey, brooklyn new york city, greece, istanbul turkey, europe ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min.
Story:
Three young women were sentenced to death in the infamous Manson murder case, but when the death penalty was lifted, their sentence became life imprisonment. One young graduate student was sent in to teach them - and through her we witness their ...
Style:
psychological, disturbing, rough, suspense, slasher ...
Plot:
cult leader, life sentence, sect, female murderer, serial killer, charles manson, hippie, prison, psychopath, confined, female assassin, manipulation ...
Time:
year 1969, year 2009, year 2014, year 2017, 60s
Place:
los angeles, california
Is relevant?
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Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: Croatia
Duration: 97 min.
Story:
A cruel world of the Yugoslavian prison during 1980s, based on real events about a man who gets life sentence for committed crime.
Style:
captivating
Plot:
prison, life sentence, jail, jailed, maximum security prison, prisoner, prison life, criminal, prison sentence, confinement indoors, confined, life is a bitch ...
Time:
80s
Place:
former yugoslavia, croatia
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 88 min.
Story:
Convicted killers David Sweat and Richard Matt seduce bored, restless, small town mom Joyce Mitchell who aids and abets their audacious jailbreak.
Style:
talky, touching, suspense, tense, suspenseful ...
Plot:
prison escape, prison, prison life, punishment, friends, freedom, convict, heroes, framed for murder, justice, society, violence ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
usa, new york, new york state
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Horror
Country: USA
Story:
Robert Francis Garrow was a serial rapist and murderer whose reign of terror paralyzed the North Country between the years of 1960 and 1978. Born in Mineville, New York in 1936, Robert's childhood was an endless cycle of unimaginable horror. ...
Style:
slasher, psychological, tense, suspense, scary ...
Plot:
serial killer, prison escape, brutality, jail, danger, woman in danger, psychopath, convict, murder, maniac, violent, violence ...
Time:
70s
Place:
usa
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 109 min.
Story:
When prison boxer George "The Hammer" Martin is offered freedom for fighting in the 1984 Olympics, he says no in order to protect the woman he loves, forcing his best friend to learn the true meaning of loyalty.
Style:
psychological, captivating, thrilling, heartfelt, emotional ...
Plot:
boxing, friendship, faith, prison, boxer, best friend, sacrifice, loyalty, love, boxing champion, life sentence, jail ...
Time:
80s
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: Australia
Duration: 160 min.
TV show
Story:
A floating body, a drug deal gone wrong, and two former detectives the perpetrators. Life imprisonment is the end of Roger Rogerson's story. The last Blue Murder ended with his expulsion in disgrace from the NSW Police Force. In this ...
Style:
tense, detective, crime drama, disturbing, suspense ...
Plot:
murder, investigation, murderer, corrupt cop, police corruption, true crime, jail, killing, homicide detective, police investigation, murder mystery, unsolved crime ...
Time:
90s, 2000s
Place:
sydney australia
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Crime
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 89 min.
Story:
Laughing is judged guilty of murdering gang lord Michael So and is sentenced to life imprisonment. Locked up behind bars, he meets the seemingly benign inmate Fok Tin Yam, a university professor in criminal psychology who is jailed for drug ...
Style:
suspenseful, exciting, tense, suspense, disturbing
Plot:
escapades, heroes, chase, friendship between men, greed, death, vengeance, prison, adaptation, false accusation, murder, freedom ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
hong kong
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Horror
Country: Thailand
Duration: 104 min.
Story:
Dao returns home and finds her fiance in bed with another woman. She shoots them dead on the spot. She is sentenced to 10 years in prison. She gets out eventually and stays with a friend who runs an escort service and learns that women are even ...
Style:
suspense, tense, disturbing
Plot:
murder, prison, prison guard, confinement indoors, life sentence, changing lives, female prisoner, confined, prison sentence, prison life, prisoner, female protagonist ...
Is relevant?
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