Dead Man Walking (1995)

Dead Man Walking follows Sister Helen Prejean as she becomes the spiritual counselor to Matthew Poncelet, a convicted murderer on death row. Over the tense final days before his execution the film intercuts Poncelet’s appeals and legal maneuvers with flashbacks of the brutal crime, visits with grieving victims’ families, and intimate prison encounters that force both characters — and the audience — to confront guilt, responsibility and the possibility of redemption. Seeing the movie is an emotionally intense experience: raw, quiet scenes of compassion and prayer sit alongside harrowing recollections of violence and anguished confrontations with victims’ loved ones. Powerful performances and a measured pace draw you into the moral complexity of capital punishment, prompting anger, sorrow, and moments of unexpected empathy. Expect a solemn, thought-provoking drama that leaves you wrestling with questions of justice, forgiveness and the human cost of ending a life.

Actors: Susan Sarandon, Sean Penn, Robert Prosky

Director: Tim Robbins

Runtime: 122 min

Genres: Crime, Drama

7.4 /10 80 /100 7.5 /10 7.6 /10