Steinesongo Too many fans seem to be blown away

LastingAware The greatest movie ever!

Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Freeman This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

vsd324 Helen Prejean (Susan Sarandon) is a nun who has been assigned to council and give spiritual guidance to Matthew Poncelot (Sean Penn), a man on death row convicted of murder. This movie is not for or against the death penalty. It touches briefly on that issue, but its intent is not to make a political statement. This movie is far more powerful than that. It is a character study of a man on death row. This movie humanizes the criminal. It doesn't necessarily convince you he doesn't deserve what's coming to him, but it makes you feel compassion for him. The ability to take someone who is by normal standards considered "bad" or "evil" and successfully make them a protagonist, in my opinion, is a work of art. A movie that's not much more than conversations is not easy to keep entertaining, but this film succeeds. The conversations are shot through a variety of angles to keep the film from getting visually redundant. Some may find it a little to preachy because of the religious aspect of the film. This may have been different if Helen were just a counselor and not a nun; however when the themes of compassion, forgiveness, and confession are prevalent, Catholicism is not a bad angle to use. The film was adapted from a non-fiction book, so it's based on a true story. written by the real Sister Helen Prejean. I am surprised that the writing did not receive more accolades than it did, receiving only a Golden Globe nomination. Sarandon won an Oscar for her performance. Penn was nominated but lost to Nicholas Cage that year, an error in my opinion—any one of the nominees that year deserved it more than Cage. Character studies are not for everyone. Many find movies like this boring. But if you prefer thought provoking dialogue like movies like "Fences" (2016), this is an excellent pick.

beatriceyongyuexuan I think that dead man walking is a simple movie with complex emotions. In this movie, the audience sees two sides of things from Sister Helen's point of view. We get a glimpse of so many emotions, from the victim's and the guilty's. As I was tugged between two parties, this movie really made me wonder if there can be a right punishment for crimes. The movie emphasized on the fact that murderers are humans too, can feel and is able to love just as much, no matter how unforgivable their actions were. I think this movie shows how imperfect we all are, and how we are so unable to be truly freed or satisfied. But nevertheless, only a good movie can draw tears, and it did.

Viraj Kodithuwakku This is a very very doubtful movie in several sides;Humanity,Justice,Credibility & Flexibility of Law,Crime & Punishment,Pardon from the Religion.Each side is too conflicting one to another.Sister Helen is the spiritual adviser of Matthew while the victims are throwing stones at both of them. Religion gives the pardon convict but victims tries to find out the justice through death penalty.What is the right? What is the wrong? Let me ask too, Who is the right? Who is the wrong? What should be the impartial decision?. Let's imagine that one of our family member was slaughtered by someone, then what kinda sense will make us? On the other hand, If we are the religious people what kinda sense will make us? The matter which echoes deeply in our soul is "Should house hold of convict account for the criminal?" Dead Man Walking seriously shows great social problems of such people. Otherwise does law give the pure justice for the society? Matthew counts dates for his execution while the other convict Vitello spends time in prison for life without death penalty. does the law really give people a relief? Absolutely a Perfect movie... Grade:A+

sarahthompsonx 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.