susan sarandon be and for lack of a good word and incredible . in my opinion ( and yes i do understand that not everyone will agree with me here ) and she be one of the great actress ever and should have at least 2 oscar to her credit . i mean and that be an amazing performance in lorenzo oil ( but then i think every performance of hers be amaze ) and they give it to emma thompson . what be that about . and by the time she get this oscar and she would be in the industry for some 25 year . i couldn not think of anyone who deserve it more and especially for a performance as brilliant a her portrayal of sister helen prejean . but then again and she be over and above all the artificiality of hollywood and doesn not need an oscar people know she good anyway . this film carry some very deep and think provocing message and so needless to say it be not to be take lightly . tim robbins and of course and can not escape credit here . you would think that and because of his person feeling against the death penalty and the portrayal make in this movie wouldn not be accurate . however and both side of the death penalty debate be give even weight . on one side and you see the interesting side of matthew and the human side which make witness his death rather heart wrenching . at the same time and you see the way he savage his victim and the constant torment of the understandably grief stricken parent . one word for tim bravo . a brilliant movie and and like i say and a well deserve and long awaited oscar for susan .