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Dead Man Walking
1995 122 min United States of America, United Kingdom R 18+
★8.3
Drama
Director: Tim Robbins
🎭 Based on
«Dead Man Walking»
byHelen Prejean
Trailers
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EN
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Description
A death row inmate turns for spiritual guidance to a local nun in the days leading up to his scheduled execution for the murders of a young couple.
Budget:
$11M
US Gross:
$39.36M
Worldwide:
$39.36M
Starring
Susan Sarandon
Actor
Sean Penn
Actor
Robert Prosky
Actor
Awards
Berlin International Film Festival 1996
— German Arthouse Guild Prize
Screen Actors Guild Awards 1996
— Best Actress
Berlin International Film Festival 1996
— Silver Bear – Best Actor
Academy Awards 1996
— Best Actor
Academy Awards 1996
— Best Original Song
Screen Actors Guild Awards 1996
— Best Actress
MTV Movie & TV Awards 1996
— Best Actress
Berlin International Film Festival 1996
— Silver Bear – Best Actor
Berlin International Film Festival 1996
— Ecumenical Jury Prize
Berlin International Film Festival 1996
— Berliner Morgenpost Prize
Screen Actors Guild Awards 1996
— Best Actor
Golden Globe 1996
— Best Actor (Drama)
Golden Globe 1996
— Best Actress (Drama)
Golden Globe 1996
— Best Screenplay
Academy Awards 1996
— Best Actress
Key opinion
Dead Man Walking is a powerful, emotionally charged drama that examines the complexities of capital punishment through the relationship between a death-row inmate and a dedicated nun. By avoiding a simplistic moral stance, the film forces audiences to confront difficult questions about guilt, repentance, and the ethics of state-sanctioned execution.
| Acting | Susan Sarandon provides a masterful, Oscar-winning anchor as the compassionate Sister Helen, perfectly balancing religious conviction with human doubt. | |
| Acting | Sean Penn delivers a complex, layered portrayal of a death-row inmate that effectively leaves the audience questioning the sincerity of his remorse. | |
| Direction | Tim Robbins maintains a thoughtful, neutral directorial tone that allows the audience to weigh the perspectives of victims' families, the legal system, and the condemned. | |
| Emotion | The film succeeds as a heavy, thought-provoking moral drama, though some find the persistent, oppressive emotional atmosphere difficult to endure. | |
| Screenplay | The script effectively incorporates diverse viewpoints, though some viewers feel certain elements, such as minor flirtatious beats, are unnecessary or detract from the gravity. |