Dead Man Walking

A favourably received Death Row drama that deals with the subject of the death penalty and an inmate’s chance at redemption. Dead Man Walking is based on Sister Helen Prejean’s 1993 non-fiction book of the same name. The character Matthew Poncelet, a composite of real-life Death Row inmates Patrick Sonnier and Robert Willy, seeks clemency before his scheduled execution by lethal injection. Poncelet is imprisoned for murder and ****, but which he denies. His case will only be reconsidered if there is any indication of innocence, but according to the system Poncelet is a remorseless murderer with sympathies for **** and prejudices against African Americans. Sister Helen’s mission, as directed by the prison’s chaplain, is to make him accountable for his actions and take responsibility. This nun’s work may seem straight forward enough. Despite her lack of experience in advising murderers, she approaches the task with dedication. A viewing companion noted that the film Dead Man Walking, dealing with the death penalty, was not the happiest to watch. However, it invites viewers to follow a chance at redemption. Sister Helen Prejean is spiritual advisor to a condemned inmate a week before his execution and ultimately seeks his redemption. Sister Helen is portrayed as a loving and compassionate soul, facing the dual challenge of offering hope and love to Poncelet while acknowledging the anger and calls for his execution. The film balances these perspectives, ultimately leaning towards compassion…Poncelet, though a wayward believer in Jesus, can be forgiven by God, while the looming execution remains on his mind. It’s a good story, and commendable for its depth and fair portrayal of faith and theme of redemption or the chance of redemption. Sean Penn delivers a nuanced, authentic, and believable performance as Poncelet, convincingly portraying a Death Row inmate and Susan Sarandon excels in her role as a compassionate and convincing Sister Helen.

I thought this was a very well made film - very much a thought provoking watch. Its quite slow paced but it shows things from a different angle, that of the nun trying to connect to the man convicted of multiple killings and who faces the death penalty, trying to get an idea of what might have happened and whether he can be redeemed before potentially being killed. I'd say redemption is one of the most obvious themes at play in this film. It questions the ethics of the death sentence but it isn't a documentary as such. Its based on a book, I believe. I could understand and empathise with the family of the victims who struggle with the nun attempting to (as they see it) side with the criminal. As the saying goes, things are rarely black and white. However, the film follows the nun spending time with the criminal and mulling things over, not actually scientifically or otherwise from a police point of view, going over evidence and re-enacting things to try and discover any potential suspects etc. It takes more of a philosophical angle on things and this may well not appeal to some but I found it quite a sobering, thoughtful watch. There is some poignant dialogue present. I felt both Susan Sarandon (who plays the nun, Sister Helen Prejean) and Sean Penn (who plays the convict, Matthew Poncelet) gave moving performances - its a quite memorable film partly due to their solid performances, making it an emotional watch. Overall I thought this was a well made film and I'd recommend it.