Review of Dead Man Walking (1995) by Ben F — 02 Dec 2010

"Dead Man Walking" needs to be seen not only for it's deep and enthralling emotional capacity, but also for how well Tim Robbins created a captivating and startling realistic look on execution, and atonement. Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon completely dominated the screen in this movie, which make it clear, that this was one of the best films of the 90's.

What Tim Robbins did well here, was he didn't give you any B.S. He presented the situation clearly and concisely. The film doesn't focus on whether Sean Penn is guilty or not, but if he possesses the power to give himself any blame for whatever he might have done. This has to be one of the most brilliantly executed plots I've ever seen. It's nothing sophisticated, but it's presented with such a style, and in such a classy way that you really just have to admire it.

Like I said before, Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon were absolutely perfect. The chemistry between these two actors were simply phenomenal. The characters grow with each other throughout the films progression, and we witness it. Sean Penn's performance specifically got more and more powerful as the movie went on. During the final scenes, he gave one of the most breathtaking performances. He was absolutely brilliant.

But why does this movie work so well? We've seen other films that involve execution and death row. This movie is amazing because it takes two types of people that are completely different than each other, and mixes them, to reflect each of there care toward the other. A nun and a criminal. They were both great. R. Lee Ermey gave a good performance as well when Sarandon visited his home.

It's just such a gripping movie. Everything is done with such professional care, and the movie is so heart-wrenching. I was in tears as the film was coming to a close. "Dead Man Walking" was so good for so many reasons, and like I said, it demands to be viewed.