Dead Man Walking (1995)

A startling and provocative achievement, Dead Man Walking manages the not insubstantial feat of making an eloquent statement against the death penalty while refusing to excuse the killer of his crimes. Preferring to make a case for humanity and the capacity for human forgiveness, writer/director Tim Robbins avoids the self-righteous moralizing that often mars "message" movies. Instead of vilifying those on either side of the death penalty issue, he paints an even portrait of the rage, grief, and complexity in the arguments of both camps. Although Dead Man Walking is remarkable for Robbins' presentation of the many moral and personal issues surrounding the death penalty, it is most memorable for the performances of Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn. Penn, in particular, manages to be reprehensible and charismatic all at once: as hateful as he is, the audience cannot look away from him. He makes an initially vile character ultimately sympathetic without resorting to sentiment or manipulation. The performance is uncompromising: never once do we see him try to vie for the audience's sympathy, and his eventual salvation comes on his terms alone. For her part, Sarandon turns in one of the best performances of her career. Her Sister Prejean is both drawn to and repelled by Poncelet, and Sarandon captures these conflicting emotions with honesty and grace. Rather than make Prejean a saint, Sarandon plays her as an unwaveringly decent but flawed human being. She is smart enough to realize the repercussions of her support of Poncelet but compassionate enough to believe that her brand of Christianity must have as much room for those who have sinned as for those who have been sinned against. Thanks to her portrayal and that of Penn, Dead Man Walking is carried by two performances that don't seem to have a hint of acting about them. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide