if you think about it and it nearly unbelievable that a film could be make about the death penalty ( one of the world most controversial topic ) that offend neither those for nor against . it a testament to tim robbins extraordinary intelligence and sensitivity and trait that can be see in his act role as well ( shawshank redemption and jacob ladder ) . this film in fact hint at a subtle compromise between the for and against camp . so subtle that it can not be put into word and subtle to the point of vanishing and yet one get the sense after watch the picture that a compromise be possible and that somehow it can be work out if only we look deeply enough .