Dead Man Walking (1995): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Dead Man Walking is a 1995 crime drama starring Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon. It is partly based on Dead Man Walking by Helen Prejean. It runs 2 hours 2 minutes and earned $39.4 million worldwide. It won 1 Oscar, including Actress in a Leading Role, and 3 awards in all. Critics gave it 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and 80 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.5/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 2m (122 min)
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Gramercy Pictures (I)
- Based on
- Dead Man Walking by Helen Prejean
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Dead Man Walking About?
The premise of Dead Man Walking without spoilers, adapted from Dead Man Walking by Helen Prejean. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
As Matthew Poncelet's execution draws near, Sister Helen Prejean becomes his spiritual advisor, forging an unexpected bond with the convicted murderer. Through their interactions, she seeks to understand the circumstances surrounding his alleged crimes and the impact on the victims' families. This process compels Prejean to grapple with profound questions of justice, compassion, and the complexities of the death penalty system, while also confronting the pain of those affected by violence.
Dead Man Walking Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- nun
- f rated
- execution
- death row
- capital punishment
- solitary confinement
- based on true story
- title spoken by character
- original author as character
- governor
- murder
- empathy
+38 more Show fewer
- rape
- straitjacket
- mother daughter relationship
- woods
- little girl
- siren
- polygraph test
- stabbing
- stabbed to death
- prison nurse
- priest
- catholic priest
- roman catholic
- catholic
- plain clothes nun
- chaplain
- psalm
- confession
- church
- death penalty
- repentance
- based on book
- visit
- tears
- gender in title
- female rear nudity
- man killed
- social commentary
- cigarette smoking
- f word
- lovers lane murder
- lovers lane
- true crime
- killer
- checkers the board game
- epa environmental protection agency
- slum
- cameo appearance
Dead Man Walking Cast
Sean Penn leads the cast, with Susan Sarandon.
Dead Man Walking Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Dead Man Walking 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and 80 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.5/10.
-
IMDb 7.5 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 95% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 86%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 80 Metascore
User score 7.4
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 73% User score
See on TMDB
Dead Man Walking Plot Summary
What happens in Dead Man Walking from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Matthew Poncelet, portrayed by Sean Penn, has been languishing on death row at the Louisiana State Penitentiary for six agonizing years after being sentenced for the tragic murder of a teenage couple. He committed these heinous acts alongside Carl Vitello, who received a life sentence without the possibility of parole. As Poncelet’s execution date looms ever closer, he reaches out to Sister Helen Prejean, played by Susan Sarandon, a nun with whom he has had ongoing correspondence. Poncelet’s letters suggest a divine encounter, claiming that Jesus visited him in his cell.
Full summary
The whole story of Dead Man Walking, scene by scene
Dead Man Walking Box Office
Dead Man Walking grossed $39.4 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$39.4M
- US & Canada
- $39.4M
Dead Man Walking Awards & Nominations
Dead Man Walking won 1 Oscar, including Actress in a Leading Role, and 3 awards in all. Its biggest night was the Oscars 1996, with 1 win from 4 nominations.
3 wins15 nominations5 ceremonies
-
Spirit Awards 1997 4 nominations- Nominated Best Cinematography
- Nominated Best Feature
- Nominated Best Screenplay – Jim Jarmusch
- Nominated Best Supporting Male – Gary Farmer
-
Oscars 1996 1 win · 4 nominations- Won Actress in a Leading Role – Susan Sarandon
- Nominated Actor in a Leading Role – Sean Penn
- Nominated Directing – Tim Robbins
- Nominated Music (Original Song)
- Spirit Awards 1996 1 win · 2 nominations
- Won Best Male Lead – Sean Penn
- Nominated Best Supporting Female – Celia Weston
-
Actor Awards (SAG) 1996 1 win · 2 nominations- Won Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role – Susan Sarandon
- Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role – Sean Penn
Show all 5 ceremonies Show fewer ceremonies
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Golden Globes 1996 3 nominations- Nominated Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama (Actor) – Sean Penn
- Nominated Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama (Actress) – Susan Sarandon
- Nominated Best Screenplay – Tim Robbins
Dead Man Walking Trailers & Videos
4 videos: 1 trailer and 3 clips.
- Clip Sister Helen Meets The Prisoner
- Clip The Convict's Mother
- Clip Visiting the Victim's Parents
How Well Do You Know Dead Man Walking?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who is the main character in 'Dead Man Walking'?
Cars in Dead Man Walking
15 cars on screen, including the 1985 Ford Escort and the Blue Bird.
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1985 Ford Escort Main role -
Blue Bird Minor role -
1975 Chevrolet Nova Minor role -
1989 Chevrolet Suburban Minor role
Dead Man Walking Also Known As
33 alternative titles, including “Mientras estés conmigo” and “Осъденият на смърт идва”.
- Also known as
-
- Mientras estés conmigo
- Осъденият на смърт идва
- Kuolemaantuomittu
- Tha ziso
- Przed egzekucja
- A Última Caminhada
- Zadnji sprehod
- Surmamõistetu
- Gever Met Mahaleh
- Dead Man Walking - Sein letzter Gang
- 데드 맨 워킹
- 死囚漫步
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- Ölüm Yolunda
- Dead Man Walking - Condannato a morte
- Мертвец идет
- La Dernière Marche
- Pena de muerte
- Mrtvý muž přichází
- Ments meg
- Uram!
- Мртав човек хода
- גבר מת מהלך
- Θα Ζήσω
- Os Últimos Passos de um Homem
- Przed egzekucją
- Мертвий іде
- デッドマン・ウォーキング
- Mŕtvy muž prichádza
- คนตายเดินดิน
- Culoarul morții
- Mirtininkas Eina, მიცვალებული მოდის
- 越過死亡線
- Pena de mort
Seen Dead Man Walking?
Movies Like Dead Man Walking
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Dead Women Walking, Dead Man Out and Dead Certain.
Dead Man Walking FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it, awards and post-credit scenes of Dead Man Walking, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Dead Man Walking?
Dead Man Walking runs 2 hours 2 minutes (122 minutes).
When was Dead Man Walking released?
Dead Man Walking was released on December 29, 1995.
Who is in the cast of Dead Man Walking?
Dead Man Walking stars Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon.
How much did Dead Man Walking make at the box office?
Dead Man Walking grossed $39.4 million worldwide.
How is Dead Man Walking rated?
Dead Man Walking has 7.5/10 on IMDb, 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, 80 on Metacritic and 73% on TMDB.
Is Dead Man Walking based on a book?
Yes. Dead Man Walking is partly adapted from Dead Man Walking by Helen Prejean.
What awards did Dead Man Walking win?
Dead Man Walking won 3 awards from 15 nominations, including Actress in a Leading Role at the Oscars 1996.
Does Dead Man Walking have a post-credit scene?
No. Dead Man Walking has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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