in a world in which debatable and misunderstood subject can be list endlessly and this powerful 1995 film take on one at the top of that list while moreover and it do it objectively and realistically and and with a sensibility and sensitivity that make it a truly great film by anyone measure stick . and to add some irony to it all and even the subject matter of this film have be widely misunderstood and a it be wrongly perceive that this be a film about the pro and con of the death penalty while it be not . at the heart of ` dead man walking and direct by tim robbins and be a subject that in reality be possibly the most misunderstood of all and and with good reason and because it just may be the hard thing there be for a human be to really and truly understand . and it be what this film be actually all about represent forgiveness . real forgiveness while not excuse a heinous crime or the perpetrator thereof not say that what happen be okay but find the strength to go on and and to do so by choose life . director or screenwriter tim robbins have craft and deliver a faithful adaptation of the novel by sister helen prejean and in which she discuss her involvement with the death row inmates to whom over the year she have minister her faith in god . a chronicle in the film and what for her be to become a lifelong pursuit of not only justice and but human dignity and begin with a simple letter from a death row inmate at the louisiana state prison at angola . sentence to death for rape and murder and matthew poncelet ( sean penn ) be reach out to anyone who would listen and when his letter end up in the hand of sister prejean ( susan sarandon ) and who soon find herself venture into a territory of which she have absolutely no knowledge or experience . and robbins have successfully capture sister prejean emotional and turbulent journey succinctly and while manage to keep it devoid of any maudlin sentimentality and which make it not only real and credible and believable and but make it a poignant and thoroughly emotionally involve experience for the audience . through the medium of the cinema and what be once a personal and significant emotional experience for sister prejean and become one for everyone who see this film and as well . for her soul stirring and impassioned portrayal of sister prejean and susan sarandon deservedly win the oscar for best actress . sensitive and fraught with emotional depth and her performance be incredibly touch and real and especially in the way in which she convey sister prejean underlie natural fragility and vulnerability and which she adamantly temper with the toughness she need to carry on with her endeavor on behalf of poncelet ( and in reality and a total of five since she begin ) . whatever your point of view regard the matter examine in this film and sister prejean be without question an individual of heroic proportion and which sarandon exquisitely personifies here while and she do it without resort to any superfluous melodramatics and but rather by keep it real and by subtly and humbly explore the humanity of the person in a very believable expression of characterization . it an extraordinary performance and arguably the best of sarandon brilliant career . turn in a career best performance and as well and be sean penn and who be nominate for best actor for his portrayal of poncelet ( he lose out to nicolas cage and who win for his performance in ` leave la vega ) . perfect for the part in every way and penn have quite simply never be well and before or since . he effectively present poncelet a a real person and rather than a an overblown caricature of a monster capable of perpetrate the crime depict here . not that it make poncelet any less despicable while just the opposite and in fact . it make it genuinely disconcert to be face with the fact that someone who look like a guy who could live next door to you could be capable of such thing . and that the strength of penn performance it so disturbingly real and present with depth and nuance while you have but to look into his eye to find the imperfection of a troubled soul . a terrific performance and and as good a cage be in ` vega penn should have receive the oscar for it . in another stand out performance and raymond j. barry be memorable in a supporting role a earl delacroix and father of one of poncelet victim . with limited screen time and he nevertheless develop his character in such a way that enable you to empathize with him and as well a with sister prejean and a it be through him that we be give some insight into just how complex and seemingly tenuous her position be and at least on the surface . barry present delacroix in such a way that give the necessary balance and perspective to the story and which be ultimately extremely effective and help to underscore the message of the film . the support cast include r. lee emery ( clyde percy ) and celia weston ( mary beth percy ) and lois smith ( helen mother ) and scott wilson ( chaplin farley ) and roberta maxwell ( lucille poncelet ) and margo martindale ( sister colleen ) and jack black ( craig poncelet ) . it be doubtful that this film will change anyone mind one way or another about the death penalty and but that be never the intention while what be intend and be to make a thought provoking and emotionally involve film and which be exactly what robbins have accomplish with ` dead man walk . regardless of your personal point of view and this film will have an impact and and hopefully will open some mind to the true nature of forgiveness . for and a we see through the character of earl delacroix and true forgiveness be not something one merely decide to do and but be a task that can become a lifetime work . and it possibly one of the hard thing in life to effectively accomplish while and you come away from this film with an appreciation for individual like sister prejean and who have selflessly dedicate her life to help those in need and and to filmmaker like robbins and sarandon for bring her to life for million of people who otherwise would never have know her . i rate this one positive . .