Best movie ever!

An action-packed slog

A Major Disappointment

One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

How did Sean Penn not get the Oscar for this? Worth seeing for his performance alone, whatever your thoughts on the death penalty. Bonus: an appearance by Jack Black, in a dramatic role!

I've only just seen the film recently. I'm a huge fan of Sean Penn and I'm so disappointed I waited so long to watch this! Susan Sarandon plays a Sister nun who helps Sean Penn's Character before he gets killed by lethal injection. She is very empathetic and forgiving to him and tries to get him to admit what he done and ask the murdered victims families for forgiveness. In the film she is met with criticism from her own family and the victims families because of her close bond with Matthew Poncelet. However she tries to be there for both sides, him and their families because she isn't taking sides, she just wants to bring god and healing to them all.

**NO SPOILERS** I'm enjoying upgrading some of my award winning movies to Blu-ray disc. The picture and sound quality is exponentially better than the standard DVD issues. Plus, I like revisiting the older movies in my collection. Dead Man Walking(DMW) is one of nine movies included in MGM 90th Anniversary- Best of Award Winners box set with Thelma and Louise; Midnight Cowboy; Raging Bull; Leaving Las Vegas; In The Heat of The Night; Rain Man; Dances With Wolves and Rocky. Some include extras I enjoy like commentaries by the Director, and with DMW there's one with Tim Robbins, one with Susan Sarandon and other actors, and, sometimes a documentary on the making of the movie and/or other background stories about soundtrack, script or special effects. I especially enjoy hearing the Director's viewpoint and sharing of his creative process.There's probably not much more I could say than what has already been said by other reviewers. This is a movie that will move you, and if you're not then you're not human. Great acting, great direction, great script, great cinematography, interesting soundtrack. This is not a movie for young children, very intense reenactment of a brutal crime plus language and adult themes. It's obvious in listening to the commentary tract that Robbins is anti-death penalty, but he refrains from getting preachy in the movie and leaves it to us to draw our own conclusions. So get the popcorn ready and the tissues. You are in for an emotional 2 hours.

Before watching this, I wasn't sure I would like this that much. Maybe a 7 rating or so. After about 30 minutes it became apparent that this movie was going to be carried by Sarandon and Penn and that it was! Phenomenal performances from them. Really some of the better performances I have ever seen and with great chemistry between them. The relationship formed between these two was so sincere that Penn's character hit home for me. Sarandon further carried this with her sympathy for him and the friendship they bound. The greatest aspect of this movie is it shows the good and bad side so it is for you the viewer to decide whether you will cry for the victims families or the convict. This movie definitely made me think deeper into my opinions on capital punishment. All in all an extremely emotional watch that will likely leave you in tears.