Dead Man Walking

1995 Directed by Tim Robbins

A justice drama based on a true story about a man on death row who, in his last days, forms a strong relationship with a nun who teaches him forgiveness and gives him spirituality, as she accompanies him to his execution.

Susan Sarandon Sean Penn Robert Prosky Raymond J. Barry R. Lee Ermey Celia Weston Lois Smith Scott Wilson Roberta Maxwell Margo Martindale Jack Black Ray Aranha Peter Sarsgaard Barton Heyman Steve Boles Nesbitt Blaisdell Larry Pine Kevin Cooney Clancy Brown Michael Cullen Missy Yager Jenny Krochmal Jon Abrahams Arthur Bridgers Steve Carlisle Eva Amurri Martino Jack Henry Robbins Dennis Neal Molly Bryant Show All…

Alternative Titles

A Última Caminhada, Tha ziso, Kuolemaantuomittu, Zadnji sprehod, Przed egzekucja, Mientras estés conmigo, Осъденият на смърт идва, Surmamõistetu, Gever Met Mahaleh, Dead Man Walking - Sein letzter Gang, 데드 맨 워킹, 死囚漫步

drama

122 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by Brett Olds ★★★★★ 2

Susan Surandon has been 50 for her entire life.
Review by Sam Meltzer🏳️‍🌈 ★★★ 12

Dead Man Walking works because it’s very performance and character-driven. Sean Penn as Poncelet is the core of the film. He is the reason why the film exists and keeps it engaging. His performance is simple, but he is able to do so much with his seen, angry performance. It’s Susan Sarandon as Sister Helen who is carrying the film with meaning and emotion. If you experience any emotion in this film, it’s because of her. She drives the story beautifully with her wonderful character arc. Tim Robbins’ direction includes some very impressive and well planned long takes the help show conversation. The sad feel of the movie feels realistic and dark. If a bit too tedious for me, Dead Man Walking is a harsh, character-driven drama that features two great central performances and some impressive direction.
Review by Esteban Gonzalez ★★★★½ 5

“I want the last face you see in this world to be the face of love, so you look at me when they do this thing. I'll be the face of love for you.”
Dead Man Walking is a film that explores the unique and unexpected bond formed between a Catholic nun and a convicted murderer on Death Row. I know this doesn’t exactly sound as a compelling plot nor a crowd pleaser, but it was definitely a thought provoking film and surprisingly one of the best movies of 1995 thanks to the strong performances. Tim Robbins adapted the screenplay from Sister Helen Prejean’s nonfictional book of the same name, and he also directed this inspirational spiritual drama that avoids…
Review by Rich ★★★★

8/10
Dead Man Walking is a very emotional film if you let it be. It is an interesting look at the death penalty and those in death row. Its a slow burn at first with solid performances from Sarandon and Penn, but it certainly hits it stride toward the end.
The ending is what the film is all about in my opinion. You have to make a decision. Is the conclusion just or unjust? Do you feel bad for a murderer or does he deserve his punishment? These are difficult questions for anyone, and it is always great when I film can make you think about your own morals or beliefs. Tim Robbins made a hell of a film.
Review by Houston Coley ★★★★½ 3

If there was ever a movie we needed in the year 2018, it’s this one. The complexity and nuance and raw anger and tenderness on display here is astounding.
Review by kayla ★★★½

I ain’t gonna git in no bible quotin with no nun cause I’m gonna lose
Review by Dragonknight ★★★

Film #55 of Project 90
”I've been called a son of a you-know-what plenty of times, but I've never been called a son of God.”
The main problem of Dead Man Walking is that Tim Robbins handles the complex and controversial themes of his film clumsily and as a result of this superficial approach the film becomes a bleak, manipulative and senseless portrayal of a potentially engaging story. Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn both give brilliant performances but film’s inability of turning them into “understandable” characters wastes their achievements. At best Dead Man Walking is a forgettable film that tries to create emotionally rich characters and morally challenging situations but its lack of thematic concentration prevents it from becoming a…
Review by Corie ★★★★½ 25

Dead Man Walking von Tim Robbins.
Ein unfassbar beeindruckendes Plädoyer an die Menschlichkeit,die Schuld, den Glauben und die Sühne...
Sean Penn wartet als verurteilter Vergewaltiger und Mörder auf seine Hinrichtung, während Susan Sarandon ihm als Nonne Beistand leistet.
Grandios gespielt von Sean Penn und Susan Sarandon...💝💝
Tim Robbins Kritik an der amerikanischen Todesstrafe (übrigens, verfilmt nach dem gleichnamigen Buch, das auf den authentischen Erlebnissen der Ordensschwester Helen Prejean basiert)
verzichtet hier wirklich auf den ausgestreckten Zeigefinger für oder gegen die Todesstrafe.
So empfinde ich es zumindest.
Dieser unglaubliche Film zeigt uns ein ehrliches, authentisches Bild der nicht einfachen Thematik und vergisst dabei nicht, beide Seiten der Medaille zu beleuchten!!
Einfach ein grandioses Drama, bei dem ich meine Tränen definitiv nicht zurückhalten kann...
Jedes mal auf's Neue! 🤧
youtu.be/jwvlGI7u16w
Review by Julia ★★★★½

This is the saddest fucking movie I’ve ever seen don’t touch me
Review by russman ★★★½

And the award for most annoying facial hair goes to...
Review by Frank Ritz ★★★★ 4

My dad made me watch this, and maybe it’s because I was expecting this to be trash, but I found it to be pretty effective. I assumed it was going to be Oscar-Bait schlock, but it’s a lot more morally complex than I ever expected. Sure, the stance is clear; killing is wrong, whether it’s a senseless act, personal vengeance, or a system abiding by law, but the back and forth and nuance of every emotional building block, stacks into a really confused emotional state. That’s not a negative, but a resounding positive. You can empathize with everyone to some degree, and can still feel hatred, yet understand the moral conundrum of death that isn’t natural. Also as someone generally…
Review by Ganta_Alucard ★★★★ 4

Schauspieler Tim Robbins nahm für diesen Film auf dem Regiestuhl Platz, gab seiner damaligen Lebensgefährtin Susan Sarandon die Hauptrolle und holte Sean Penn mit ins Boot. Was dabei herauskam, war das packende und bewegende Drama Dead Man Walking. Der Film basiert auf Gegebenheiten der Ordensschwester Helen Prejean aus ihrem gleichnamigen Buch.
Dieser Film geht einen richtig unter die Haut und stellt von Anfang an eine Gefühlsachterbahn dar. Dazu kommen ein schöner Soundtrack und die herausragenden schauspielerischen Leistungen von Susan Sarandon und Sean Penn. Die Szenen mit den beiden Darstellern sind ungemein intensiv, emotional und fesseln einen an den Bildschirm. Nicht umsonst wurden beide Schauspieler hierfür mit einem Oscar nominiert bzw. hat Sarandon einen sogar gewonnen.
Leicht zu ertragen ist Dead…

Recent reviews

Review by David Salazar ★★★

Over the last few years, Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally’s “Dead Man Walking” has become a major staple of the international opera repertory, one of the few 21st-century operas to really own such a valuable distinction.
And it isn’t hard to see why. Based on a true story, the opera tells the story of a nun, Sister Helen, who connects with a murderer on death row (Joseph DeRocher), helping him to have a spiritual awakening. Themes of love, faith, and forgiveness provide ample bandwidth for operatic treatment.
But the story had been previously adapted into a film years early when Tim Robbins directed a cast headlined by Susan Sarandon as Sister Helen and Sean Penn as Matthew Poncelet. It is…
Review by Bikansha ★★★★½

"I never had no real love myself."
The moment the opening credits and the song rolled in, I knew I was in for an authentic experience. The first time I watched it, it put forth a troubling moral dilemma in front of me and continued to do so everytime I came back to it.
The Tim Robbins film stretches across the boundaries of loss, grief and guilt, and makes you question the very definition of love and redemption.
Seen through a permissive lens of religion, you get pulled into the story of Matthew Poncelet (Sean Penn) as much as sister Helen Prejean (Susan Sarandon).
Dead Man Walking is a near perfect film, and deserves to be watched. It's sensitive and yet intense atmosphere will make you hold on to your conscience and make you introspect for days on end.
Review by Ariauna ★★★

Susan Sarandon is a hottie with a body and Sean Penn is Robbie Rotten. Oops it had to be said.
Review by Sebastián Guzmán Becerra

Wow, esto parece es una peli a favor de la pena de muerte así digan todo el tiempo lo contrario.
Review by hollymcc ★★★½

This film really knows how to build tension and consistently remind us of this tension. Sister Helen is now a huge role model of mine, regardless of the mistakes she makes in the film. Her willingness to love those who are deemed unlovable by society is something I can only hope to do one day in my life. Every party in this situation were 100% valid in their feelings, and Sister Helen never cast judgement on their feelings or even how they treated her. When it came down to it, she chose to see their inherent worth and work through her discomfort to best love all those around her. Love isn't easy, but it is demanded of us each and every day. This film was a great reminder that every human has worth, no matter what mistakes they have made.
Review by Michael Manley ★★★★

"It's not faith--It's work."
Review by morikrygel ★★★½

Jevi
Review by 🦋 ★★★

meh
Review by lucallec ★★★½

nooo bono de u2 qué hiciste
Review by Þorsteinn Valdimarsson ★★★★

I'm seeing LBXD commenters calling this propaganda - I don't see it that way at all. To me it's an uncompromising look into a deeply inhumane reality. All characters and their views are presented with nuance and the viewer must make up their mind on the morality of the subject matter, capital punishment. Not that there is any doubt on the issue in my mind. Considering it's based on the memories of an anti-death penalty activist, I find the film remarkably restrained. It even makes the case that his impending execution is what finally enables the murderer to come to terms with his actions and show remorse.
This is an effective two-hander between Sarandon and Penn, who are both excellent (give or take some facial hair). And where has writer director Tim Robbins been hiding? Seems like he could have transitioned from his acting gig based on the strength of this.
Review by Brenna Martin ★★★

Came for our girl Susan Sarandon, absolutely did not stay for Sean Penn’s gross facial hair ✌🏼
Review by Bara Prast ★★★½

Susan-Sean is the right answer for this.