What I Watched -- Dead Man Walking

Wowzers, this is a heavy movie - as you might guess by its title: Dead Man Walking.  I remember wanting to see it ages ago when it came out (okay, in 1995), but it was one of the many movies I just never got around to.  For some reason I decided now was the time.

Susan Sarandon plays Sister Helen Prejean, a nun who has dedicated her life to educating the poor.  Sean Penn is Matthew Poncelet, a death row inmate with an unclear story.  He has obviously had a hard life, and he was unquestionably involved in something bad, but you're not sure until the end exactly what his involvement was.  Sister Helen, who is out of her depth when she agrees to act as his spiritual advisor, finds herself torn when she is confronted by the families of Matthew's two alleged victims.

Bottom line: both Sarandon and Penn do a fabulous job, and it's worth it for the acting.  But it is dark.