Dead Man Walking
Recommended. Age: 18+. A Catholic review of this movie for parents.
Our review
Sister Helen is a nun who visits a man in prison. He is going to be put to death for a terrible crime. She stays with him to the end and helps him tell the truth about what he did. This is a hard and holy film about mercy, truth and the dignity of every person, even a murderer. It honors the victims' grief and never excuses the crime, and it fits the Church's teaching that the death penalty is inadmissible (CCC 2267). The one age is 18, set by Lumen's own call for adults; Common Sense Media says 17+ and the MPAA rated it R. Expect a flashback of the rape and murder, a detailed execution, strong language and racist talk.
For parents
For adults, and perhaps mature older teens with a parent. Lumen's own call of 18 sets the age; Common Sense Media says 17+. No Catholic classification was found. Talk about two things at once. First, mercy: Sister Helen loves a man who did evil and leads him to confess the truth. Second, justice: the victims' parents are not villains, and their grief is real. The Church now teaches that the death penalty is inadmissible because a person's dignity is not lost even after grave crimes (CCC 2267). Ask: can you hate the sin and still love the sinner? How can we care for victims' families too?