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Actors:

Susan Sarandon
Sean Penn
Robert Prosky
Raymond J. Barry
R. Lee Ermey
Celia Weston

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A man is sentenced to death for murder. And, while on death row, he is counseled by a nun. -- sapien

10/12/2012 (0 of 0 found this helpful)

Dead Man Walking review

Matthew Poncelet (Sean Penn) is imprisoned for six years and awaiting the lethal injection. He asks the help from Sister Helen (Susan Sarandon). Exceptional screenplay with lines: "I've got my pride. I'm not gonna kiss anybody's ass." "Thank you for loving me." and "Every person deserves respect." "The truth shall set you free." from Helen. Sarandon was amazing but Penn just brought the house down with his extraordinary display of emotion which he was recognized. Score was hypnotic and direction fluid. Only reservations this reviewer had was the pace and sometimes lack of compassion of Helen for the parents whose children were raped and murdered. Nevertheless, a minor detraction still makes Dead Man Walking a very impressive film on death penalty, justice system, perception, hatr...

Rating of
3.5/4 

04/21/2012 (0 of 0 found this helpful)

Emotional, heartbreaking, thought-provoking...

Emotional, heartbreaking, thought-provoking, and brilliant. This film is all of those things.

From the opening moments when we are introduced to Sister Helen Prejean (Sarandon), we can see that she is a kindhearted and caring individual. Of course, Matthew Poncelet (Penn) is the opposite, a racist, cold hearted, brute of a man. Both Sarandon and Penn are absolutely brilliant in this film, well deserving of their recognition from the Academy for their performances (Sarandon won Best Actress, while Penn received his first nomination for Best Actor). The film also has some strong supporting performances, particularly from R. Lee Ermey, who fits so perfectly into the role of the grieving father wanting revenge for his daughter's death. Overall, the acting is incredible, which is exac...

Rating of
4/4 

09/09/2010 (0 of 0 found this helpful)

It's Hard To Go Wrong With Sarandon and Penn

Dead Man Walking is about a man on death row, played by Sean Pean, who seeks spiritual guidance from a nun, played by Susan Sarandon. This movie sends a strong political message in opposition of the death penalty. What this movie lacked in intense action and suspense it made up for with good writing and exceptional acting. It focuses on the characters and their assorted emotions on the days leading up to the execution.

One of the most brilliant aspects of the film are the flashbacks of the violent act that landed Penn's character on death row juxtaposed with his struggle towards redemption. It creates a conflict of emotions where on one hand you want to hate the character and on the other you feel pity. What is also great about this movie is that everything is brought to full completi...

Rating of
3/4