in a world in which debatable and misunderstood subjects can be listed endlessly and this powerful 1995 film takes on one at the top of that list while moreover and it does it objectively and realistically and and with a sensibility and sensitivity that makes it a truly great film by anyone measuring stick. and to add some irony to it all and even the subject matter of this film has been widely misunderstood and as it is wrongly perceived that this is a film about the pros and cons of the death penalty while it is not. at the heart of `dead man walking and directed by tim robbins and is a subject that in reality is possibly the most misunderstood of all and and with good reason and because it just may be the hardest thing there is for a human being to really  and truly  understand. and it is what this film is actually all about represent forgiveness. real forgiveness while not excusing a heinous crime or the perpetrator thereof  not saying that what happened is okay  but finding the strength to go on and and to do so by choosing life.	director or screenwriter tim robbins has crafted and delivered a faithful adaptation of the novel by sister helen prejean and in which she discusses her involvement with the death row inmates to whom over the years she has ministered her faith in god. as chronicled in the film and what for her was to become a lifelong pursuit of not only justice and but human dignity and began with a simple letter from a death row inmate at the louisiana state prison at angola. sentenced to death for rape and murder and matthew poncelet (sean penn) was reaching out to anyone who would listen and when his letter ended up in the hands of sister prejean (susan sarandon) and who soon found herself venturing into a territory of which she had absolutely no knowledge or experience. and robbins has successfully captured sister prejean emotional and turbulent journey succinctly and while managing to keep it devoid of any maudlin sentimentality and which makes it not only real and credible and believable and but makes it a poignant and thoroughly emotionally involving experience for the audience. through the medium of the cinema and what was once a personal and significant emotional experience for sister prejean and becomes one for everyone who sees this film and as well.	for her soul stirring and impassioned portrayal of sister prejean and susan sarandon deservedly won the oscar for best actress. sensitive and fraught with emotional depth and her performance is incredibly touching and real and especially in the way in which she conveys sister prejean underlying natural fragility and vulnerability and which she adamantly tempered with the toughness she needed to carry on with her endeavors on behalf of poncelet (and in reality and a total of five since she began). whatever your point of view regarding the matters examined in this film and sister prejean is without question an individual of heroic proportions and which sarandon exquisitely personifies here while and she does it without resorting to any superfluous melodramatics and but rather by keeping it real and by subtly and humbly exploring the humanity of the person in a very believable expression of characterization. it an extraordinary performance and arguably the best of sarandon brilliant career. 	turning in a career best performance and as well and is sean penn and who was nominated for best actor for his portrayal of poncelet (he lost out to nicolas cage and who won for his performance in `leaving las vegas). perfect for the part in every way and penn has quite simply never been better and before or since. he effectively presents poncelet as a real person and rather than as an overblown caricature of a monster capable of perpetrating the crimes depicted here. not that it makes poncelet any less despicable while just the opposite and in fact. it makes it genuinely disconcerting to be faced with the fact that someone who looks like a guy who could live next door to you could be capable of such things. and that the strength of penn performance  it so disturbingly real and presented with depth and nuance while you have but to look into his eyes to find the imperfections of a troubled soul. a terrific performance and and  as good as cage was in `vegas  penn should have received the oscar for it.	in another stand out performance and raymond j. barry is memorable in a supporting role as earl delacroix and father of one of poncelet victims. with limited screen time and he nevertheless develops his character in such a way that enables you to empathize with him and as well as with sister prejean and as it is through him that we are given some insight into just how complex and seemingly tenuous her position is and at least on the surface. barry presents delacroix in such a way that gives the necessary balance and perspective to the story and which is ultimately extremely effective and helps to underscore the message of the film.	the supporting cast includes 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 is doubtful that this film will change anyone mind one way or another about the death penalty and but that was never the intention while what was intended and was to make a thought provoking and emotionally involving film and which is exactly what robbins has accomplished with `dead man walking. regardless of your personal point of view and this film will have an impact and and hopefully will open some minds to the true nature of forgiveness. for and as we see through the character of earl delacroix and true forgiveness is not something one merely decides to do and but is a task that can become a lifetime work. and it possibly one of the hardest things in life to effectively accomplish while and you come away from this film with an appreciation for individuals like sister prejean and who has selflessly dedicated her life to helping those in need and and to filmmakers like robbins and sarandon for bringing her to life for millions of people who otherwise would never have known her. i rate this one positive . . 
in a world in which debatable and misunderstood subjects can be listed endlessly and this powerful 1995 film takes on one at the top of that list while moreover and it does it objectively and realistically and and with a sensibility and sensitivity that makes it a truly great film by anyone measuring stick. and to add some irony to it all and even the subject matter of this film has been widely misunderstood and as it is wrongly perceived that this is a film about the pros and cons of the death penalty while it is not. at the heart of `dead man walking and directed by tim robbins and is a subject that in reality is possibly the most misunderstood of all and and with good reason and because it just may be the hardest thing there is for a human being to really  and truly  understand. and it is what this film is actually all about represent forgiveness. real forgiveness while not excusing a heinous crime or the perpetrator thereof  not saying that what happened is okay  but finding the strength to go on and and to do so by choosing life.	director or screenwriter tim robbins has crafted and delivered a faithful adaptation of the novel by sister helen prejean and in which she discusses her involvement with the death row inmates to whom over the years she has ministered her faith in god. as chronicled in the film and what for her was to become a lifelong pursuit of not only justice and but human dignity and began with a simple letter from a death row inmate at the louisiana state prison at angola. sentenced to death for rape and murder and matthew poncelet (sean penn) was reaching out to anyone who would listen and when his letter ended up in the hands of sister prejean (susan sarandon) and who soon found herself venturing into a territory of which she had absolutely no knowledge or experience. and robbins has successfully captured sister prejean emotional and turbulent journey succinctly and while managing to keep it devoid of any maudlin sentimentality and which makes it not only real and credible and believable and but makes it a poignant and thoroughly emotionally involving experience for the audience. through the medium of the cinema and what was once a personal and significant emotional experience for sister prejean and becomes one for everyone who sees this film and as well.	for her soul stirring and impassioned portrayal of sister prejean and susan sarandon deservedly won the oscar for best actress. sensitive and fraught with emotional depth and her performance is incredibly touching and real and especially in the way in which she conveys sister prejean underlying natural fragility and vulnerability and which she adamantly tempered with the toughness she needed to carry on with her endeavors on behalf of poncelet (and in reality and a total of five since she began). whatever your point of view regarding the matters examined in this film and sister prejean is without question an individual of heroic proportions and which sarandon exquisitely personifies here while and she does it without resorting to any superfluous melodramatics and but rather by keeping it real and by subtly and humbly exploring the humanity of the person in a very believable expression of characterization. it an extraordinary performance and arguably the best of sarandon brilliant career. 	turning in a career best performance and as well and is sean penn and who was nominated for best actor for his portrayal of poncelet (he lost out to nicolas cage and who won for his performance in `leaving las vegas). perfect for the part in every way and penn has quite simply never been better and before or since. he effectively presents poncelet as a real person and rather than as an overblown caricature of a monster capable of perpetrating the crimes depicted here. not that it makes poncelet any less despicable while just the opposite and in fact. it makes it genuinely disconcerting to be faced with the fact that someone who looks like a guy who could live next door to you could be capable of such things. and that the strength of penn performance  it so disturbingly real and presented with depth and nuance while you have but to look into his eyes to find the imperfections of a troubled soul. a terrific performance and and  as good as cage was in `vegas  penn should have received the oscar for it.	in another stand out performance and raymond j. barry is memorable in a supporting role as earl delacroix and father of one of poncelet victims. with limited screen time and he nevertheless develops his character in such a way that enables you to empathize with him and as well as with sister prejean and as it is through him that we are given some insight into just how complex and seemingly tenuous her position is and at least on the surface. barry presents delacroix in such a way that gives the necessary balance and perspective to the story and which is ultimately extremely effective and helps to underscore the message of the film.	the supporting cast includes 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 is doubtful that this film will change anyone mind one way or another about the death penalty and but that was never the intention while what was intended and was to make a thought provoking and emotionally involving film and which is exactly what robbins has accomplished with `dead man walking. regardless of your personal point of view and this film will have an impact and and hopefully will open some minds to the true nature of forgiveness. for and as we see through the character of earl delacroix and true forgiveness is not something one merely decides to do and but is a task that can become a lifetime work. and it possibly one of the hardest things in life to effectively accomplish while and you come away from this film with an appreciation for individuals like sister prejean and who has selflessly dedicated her life to helping those in need and and to filmmakers like robbins and sarandon for bringing her to life for millions of people who otherwise would never have known her. i rate this one positive . . ---------------------------------Answer Question Below----------------------------------

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