Dead Man Walking (1995)

How did Sean Penn not get the Oscar for this? Worth seeing for his performance alone, whatever your thoughts on the death penalty. Bonus: an appearance by Jack Black, in a dramatic role!

I can't help but admit that my personal feelings about the principals for this film, including director Tim Robbins, in a way influence my thoughts about the picture. However I will concede that throughout the movie, there was an even handed approach to balancing both sides of the capital punishment issue. For added poignancy, the parents of the victims of Matthew Poncelet (Sean Penn) are given their due, and Sister Prejean's (Susan Sarandon) efforts to understand both their feelings and those of Poncelet himself are to be commended. Both Penn and Sarandon offer competent portrayals of their characters, with Penn particularly effective. Though I'm no fan of either, I can still recognize that their efforts were noteworthy here. There wasn't much doubt in my mind that Poncelet was not wrongly convicted, and the closing moments of the story brought that home in frightening detail. What's interesting to me is that almost two decades after this film came out, Sean Penn appeared in 2003's "Mystic River", in which he portrays a father seeking vengeance for a daughter who is murdered , and in so doing, winds up killing his childhood best friend. That best friend in the story was portrayed by Tim Robbins.

Before watching this, I wasn't sure I would like this that much. Maybe a 7 rating or so. After about 30 minutes it became apparent that this movie was going to be carried by Sarandon and Penn and that it was! Phenomenal performances from them. Really some of the better performances I have ever seen and with great chemistry between them. The relationship formed between these two was so sincere that Penn's character hit home for me. Sarandon further carried this with her sympathy for him and the friendship they bound. The greatest aspect of this movie is it shows the good and bad side so it is for you the viewer to decide whether you will cry for the victims families or the convict. This movie definitely made me think deeper into my opinions on capital punishment. All in all an extremely emotional watch that will likely leave you in tears.

Few films manage to leave an impact as powerful as that of Dead Man Walking. Analyzing the heart-wrenchingly controversial issue of the death penalty in a mature way that pays equal consideration to any possible viewpoints, the film utilizes a fantastically written script and flawless characterization to gather emotional appeal, and regardless of your opinion on the topic, it will doubtlessly leave you with a new, realistic outlook of the topic. Based on the lucid novel written by Sister Helen Prejean, Dead Man Walking retells the emotional memoir of a woman with first- hand experience of capital punishment. The film begins with Sister Helen, portrayed by Susan Sarandon, receiving a letter from an inmate on death row. Matthew Poncelet (Sean Penn) is one of two men convicted for the rape and murder of two teenagers, and, after corresponding with and requesting the help of Sister Helen Prejean, is paid a visit by the nun. Through numerous instances of correspondence, Sister Helen eventually takes up the role of a spiritual counselor for the gruff criminal. As she experiences the complexities of the situation, Sister Helen not only comes to befriend Matthew, but also gains a new understanding of the viewpoint of the victims – after meeting the parents of the dead teenage couple, the kind protagonist becomes aware of the alarming contradictions of the situation, understanding the damage caused by Matthew while simultaneously retaining her sympathy for him. The film closes not with a fantastic plot twist that allows the unsettling character we have become so unwillingly attached to to continue his life – no, Dead Man Walking ends with Matthew's death by lethal injection, an eye opening reminder of the harsh realities that set the film's theme.The turbulence of the plot in and of itself accounts for a good portion of the film's nerve wracking impact. The film presents the complexities and hardships of capital punishment in a realistic manner, not filling it to the brim with clichés and happy endings but instead utilizing multiple viewpoints to make a dismal statement of philosophy. Dead Man Walking takes care to avoid pushing one side of the controversial topic – the interactions between Sister Helen and Matthew call to attention the human side of every criminal, while those involving the families of the murder victims allow for contemplation of the justice behind the practice.What drives Dead Man Walking's emotional influence is the strength of character portrayed by the actors. Sarandon's depiction of Sister Helen Prejean is wracked with emotion; sensitive and vulnerable, yet retaining the necessary toughness to see through her relationship with Matthew to the end, Sister Helen's characterization is real and fantastically empathetic. Her emphasis on reconciliation with one's crimes helps to visualize the humanity, or lack thereof, of the issue in question, regardless of your opinion on it. Meanwhile, Matthew's flawless characterization helps to illustrate victims of capital punishment as real people; maintaining the gruff depths and despicable imperfections of a convicted criminal, Matthew is in no way a likable character, yet he manages to grow on us through his impoverished background and eventual acceptance. He isn't shown as an overly exaggerated monster, but instead allows for consideration of the spiritual humanness of even the most abhorrent of people. Even the performances of the parents of Matthew's victims allow for further development of emotion and opinion – displaying the viewpoint of the death penalty from those who have had to deal with the consequences of losing a loved one, the passion of these characters allow for a fully rounded film while perfectly bringing home the mantra of forgiveness that is ingrained into the script.All in all, Dead Man Walking is a wonderfully produced film that perfectly captures the debate of capital punishment and synthesizes on it to organize a powerful examination of humanity. Refusing to stray from realism, the film perfectly emphasizes with both sides of the rampant controversy and examines crime from a new point of view; regardless of any prior knowledge, Dead Man Walking is sure to further consideration of the widespread dispute.