Review of Dead Man Walking (1995) by Elliott F — 29 Dec 2010

Tim Robbins is more immediately known as an experienced and incredibly gifted actor with brilliant performances in films such as The Shawshank Redemption and Mystic River, but he has dipped into directing a couple of times--more specifically, three times.

First in 1992, with a film called Bob Roberts, and most recently in 1999 with Cradle Will Rock, but his 1995 feature Dead Man Walking might be his masterpiece. The premise is based around a memoir of the same name by Sister Helen Prejean, who served as a spiritual advisor to two separate convicts on death row.

For the film adaptation, Helen Prejean (Susan Sarandon, who deservedly won the 1995 Best Actress Oscar) only comforts one, a convicted murderer and rapist named Matt Poncelat (Sean Penn, who undeservedly lost the 1995 Best Actor Oscar).

Unflinching and incredibly brave in the way that it doesn't take sides or give easy answers to the controversial subject matter (the death sentence), Dead Man Walking is one of the most affecting and spiritually moving film from the 1990s.

Watching this, I was asking myself why Tim Robbins hasn't directed more films--his direction of Dead Man Walking is utterly superb, from every single aspect. The two lead performances are beyond description; they both inhabit their characters to the point of absolute unity, and it's just incredible.

This is definitely a director's and actor's movie, but every single part of this film is top-notch. Very highly recommended.