‘Dead Man Walking’

This much-acclaimed 1995 film, written and directed by Tim Robbins from Sister Helen Prejean’s highly praised book on her death row experiences, is neither easy nor conventional. For this kind of straight-ahead movie to work, the acting must be strong without even a breath of theatricality, and in Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon (both pictured), “Dead Man Walking” has performers capable of making that happen (Showtime Friday at 8 p.m.).