Hype: I have been wanting to see Dead Man Walking for a few years now. Sean Penn is an actor I really enjoy and have heard great things about what he did in this film. Susan Sarandon has done some amazing work in the past and she was able to win an Academy Award for what she did in this film. I am really looking forward to seeing this film.
Initial Review: Powerful. That's how I would describe Dead Man Walking if I could only use one word. Dead Man Walking stars Susan Sarandon has Sister Helen, a nun who is asked by Matthew Poncelet, played by Sean Penn, to help with his final appeal before being put to death. Matthew was found guilty of murdering a teenage couple and his execution date is quickly approaching. Sister Helen was hesitant at first since she is not used to meeting with convicted criminals.
Sister Helen tells Matthew that she would try her best to help him. She contacts a lawyer who assists in the appeal process and tries to delay the execution date. As Sister Helen helps Matthew, she gets to know his family and the family of the teens he murdered. Sister Helen faces a lot of criticism from the victims family. They have a hard time understanding how a nun could support for a murder. Once Sister Helen realizes the appeal process isn't going Matthews way, she tries to get Matthew to confess what he has done and for him to seek salvation.
This movie poses a few important questions. Is the death penalty correct punishment for a crime? Can someone go to heaven if they have committed a horrible crime? Dead Man Walking tries to answer these questions by looking at both sides of each, but doesn't fully answer them, leaving the audience to decide for themselves.
I found Susan Sarandon's performance to be incredible. She totally deserved the Academy Award for Best Actress. Sean Penn was also amazing and deserved all the recognition he received. The scenes where Susan was speaking with Sean through the glass wall in prison where emotional and you could tell both actors were really into their roles. The ending of Dead Man Walking was intense and emotional. I really felt for the characters and could really sense the pain and struggle they were going through.
Dead Man Walking is an amazing film, that makes the audience think. Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon give amazing performances. This movie needs to be watched by everyone. If you have not seen Dead Man Walking, you must put it at the top of your Netflix list and run out to your local rental store and rent it right away.
Repeat Viewings: N/A
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