10 Movies That Made You Sympathise With Terrible People

Sister Helen Prejean (Susan Sarandon) visits Matthew Poncelet (Sean Penn) on death row, becoming his spiritual adviser as the days to his execution draw nearer. Based on the true visits of Sister Prejean to killer Elmo Patrick Sonnier, Prejean implores Poncelet to find spiritual redemption through taking responsibility for his crimes.

The film confronts us with a massive question - how can we begin to sympathise with a murderer on death row? And Dead Man Walking doesn’t make sympathy for Poncelet easy. He is openly racist, he is crass, he is sexist, and most frustratingly he refuses to accept his guilt for taking part in the rape and murder of a teenage couple. Furthermore, the film shows us the couple’s grief-stricken parents, who demand the ultimate justice against Poncelet and angrily accuse Prejean for sticking up for the killer instead of comforting the victims.

The most heartbreaking moment occurs when, on the day of his execution, Poncelet tearfully admits his guilt to Prejean. A man who has appeared cool, cocky, and cold throughout totally crumbles in front of us. “Yes ma’am” he whimpers when asked if he killed the boy. Suddenly he is human. He is scared. And it’s too late for him.

As he is strapped Christ-like to the lethal injection gurney, Poncelet asks for forgiveness from the witnessing families. Poncelet committed an act of pure evil. But he too has a family. We watch them visit him for the final time. As tough as it can be to accept, Poncelet, and all those on death row, are human too.