Dead Man Walking

Dead Man Walking is a powerful film. Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn are at their very best, and Tim Robbins' direction is great. What is perhaps most impressive is that it tackles one of the most complicated and controversial political issues of the day with startling intelligence for a Hollywood movie.

Sean Penn plays Matthew Poncelet, a man on death row for the murder of two teenagers. Susan Sarandon plays Helen Prejean, a nun committed to helping Poncelet accept his responsibility for the crime and die with dignity.

This movie stands out among "prison" movies because, as the chaplain tells Sister Helen, there's none of that "he's innocent, he just needs someone to believe him" stuff. Unlike in other prison movies, no attempt is made to absolve the wrongdoer of guilt. Helen only tries to convince people that he doesn't deserve to die. This is a refreshing approach for a movie, especially since the "friend crusading to prove wrongfully-accused man's innocence" persona is so overdone in many movies. Tim Robbins' script does an excellent job of keeping Poncelet from becoming a martyr figure; there are no excuses made for his crimes, and his own foolishness is shown by all the racist remarks he makes to the press. Poncelet is a complicated character, but Penn does an excellent job playing him and Robbins shows him in just the right light.

Now, onto the politics of the film. First of all, many people can't figure out if this movie is pro-death penalty or anti-death penalty. It's neither. Asking if the movie is for or against the death penalty is too broad a question. Instead, we should ask: does the film give the sense that Poncelet deserves to die? Does the film give the sense that justice was done? Did Poncelet deserve to be loved? Does Poncelet's death make up for his victims'.

I think the film says that Poncelet does deserve the death penalty. When I see the execution scene, I don't see a great injustice. How can you see injustice in this scene when the camera cuts several times to a flashback of Poncelet raping and killing? I should add, though, that I still found the execution abhorrent: the way they kill him, like they're putting an animal to sleep, is just unnerving. I also think that the film says Poncelet deserves to be loved: over and over Sarandon points out that Poncelet is still human, and every human deserves love. I also think the film doesn't tell us that Poncelet's death makes up for his crime, but it does say that his death makes him worthy of forgiveness.

While the movie is not very favorable towards capital punishment, I think there is no question that Poncelet's execution is treated as a just punishment (however terrible), and so it cannot be called entirely anti- capital punishment. Personally, I am vehemently against the death penalty because even though there may be some disgusting, despicable, horrible people who deserve to die, I would not trust anyone's judgment (including my own) as to _who_ deserves to dies and who doesn't. Also, courts are absurdly reluctant to stop executions (even if the prisoner is still sentenced to life without parole). The death penalty is utterly final and irrevocable -- should we trust its administration to such flawed beings as ourselves?

P.S.: Can anyone else believe "Babe" beat this out for an Oscar Best Picture nomination??!!