Rating of
4/4
Emotional, heartbreaking, thought-provoking...
Andrew - wrote on 04/21/12
Emotional, heartbreaking, thought-provoking, and brilliant. This film is all of those things.
From the opening moments when we are introduced to Sister Helen Prejean (Sarandon), we can see that she is a kindhearted and caring individual. Of course, Matthew Poncelet (Penn) is the opposite, a racist, cold hearted, brute of a man. Both Sarandon and Penn are absolutely brilliant in this film, well deserving of their recognition from the Academy for their performances (Sarandon won Best Actress, while Penn received his first nomination for Best Actor). The film also has some strong supporting performances, particularly from R. Lee Ermey, who fits so perfectly into the role of the grieving father wanting revenge for his daughter's death. Overall, the acting is incredible, which is exactly what was needed for a film touching on such a polarizing issue.
The film is also an incredible effort from Tim Robbins, who wrote the screenplay and directed the film. He is able to show, simultaneously, Poncelet's brutish and evil nature, while also displaying his ability to love and show remorse. Robbins does an excellent job of developing the characters.
As for an overall message, the film is not explicitly anti-death penalty. Throughout the film, the viewer is shown the heinous act over and over again. Will some people see the film and believe that Poncelet should have been put to death? Absolutely. Will some see it and think he should have been spared and put in prison for life? Of course. Regardless of one's views on the death penalty, the film raises some very significant questions over whether the practice is moral or not.
