Monster (B+ or 3.5/4 stars)
'Monster', a drama directed by Patty Jenkins, introduces us to real life serial killer, Aileen 'Lee' Wuornos (Charlize Theron). Aileen is a prostitute who meets & falls in love with a girl named Selby (Christina Ricci). Aileen prostitutes to not only save her life, but to create a new one with Selby. Things go wrong when one customer beats 'Lee', ties her up, & rapes her. He says, 'I love prostitutes … and I hate 'em". Lee gets loose & shoots the man with the gun that was meant for her pre-Selby. She steals his wallet, his car & sets off for the dingy motel where Selby waits. They have money & transport, but Lee has now entered a new level of loathing for prostitution & for men. She becomes more neurotic, impulsive & emotional than ever before.
As the film goes on, Lee goes on a killing spree to get more money for survival, & to manage her hate of men by actually killing them; punishing them. The fact that Lee was abused by men as a child is what breeds her hatred. This is a very good film. I cannot find much fault in it, whatsoever. For me, it is a 3 star movie for Charlize Theron's performance solely. She dominates the film; she commands it. There isn't one second where you aren't completely engaged in what Aileen is saying, doing, acting, or thinking. Her body language as Aileen is impeccable. She's a ticking time bomb; you can't take your eyes off of hers. I did not watch the emerging brilliance of Charlize Theron's work, I watched Aileen Wuornos.
The film made me uncomfortable; I question whether I will even see it again. If I do, it will be because I need to see the brilliance that Theron displays, & to hear Aileens' sad story one final time. The only emotions it stirs in me are negative ones. There HAS to be a sense of subjectivity involved when one critiques a film. And all I felt was despair, sadness, & anger. Objectively, the film is perfect, as are the performances. I greatly appreciate the work in this film & what it has to say about Aileen. Christina Ricci & Bruce Dern (who plays Tom, one of Lee’s only friends, & who actually lends a hand in having her arrested) are great as supporting characters because that is exactly who they were in Aileen’s life. Theron's performance overshadows most of the brilliant work these 2 do in the film, as well.
I find it very interesting that in recent years, we have had Academy Award winner, Julia Roberts, play a role based on the true story of a woman trying to better her life (Erin Brockovich), and we have also had Academy Award winner, Halle Berry, playing a very similar role as Charlize in a little independent-styled film with the title 'Monster' in it titled, 'Monster's Ball'. If these coincidences do not show that Charlize Theron will be accepting her own Academy Award in February, I will be shocked. She 100% deserves it. No other female leading role this year can challenge this.
There are several definitions of the word 'monster'. One reads, '… a person of extreme ugliness, deformity, wickedness, or cruelty'. And yet another reads, '… one who deviates from normal behavior or character'. While some may believe the former to be most indicative of Aileen Wuornos, I prefer the latter. As evidenced in the film, we see that Aileen was an abnormal child & an abnormal teenager who never quite found a sense of morality. The men in her life certainly were a detriment to her character. She was a tortured woman in every facet of being. She couldn't escape her past or even cope with what she had in the present. Yes, she is classified a monster, but her fate would never have dictated anything but this definition.
As the film goes on, Lee goes on a killing spree to get more money for survival, & to manage her hate of men by actually killing them; punishing them. The fact that Lee was abused by men as a child is what breeds her hatred. This is a very good film. I cannot find much fault in it, whatsoever. For me, it is a 3 star movie for Charlize Theron's performance solely. She dominates the film; she commands it. There isn't one second where you aren't completely engaged in what Aileen is saying, doing, acting, or thinking. Her body language as Aileen is impeccable. She's a ticking time bomb; you can't take your eyes off of hers. I did not watch the emerging brilliance of Charlize Theron's work, I watched Aileen Wuornos.
The film made me uncomfortable; I question whether I will even see it again. If I do, it will be because I need to see the brilliance that Theron displays, & to hear Aileens' sad story one final time. The only emotions it stirs in me are negative ones. There HAS to be a sense of subjectivity involved when one critiques a film. And all I felt was despair, sadness, & anger. Objectively, the film is perfect, as are the performances. I greatly appreciate the work in this film & what it has to say about Aileen. Christina Ricci & Bruce Dern (who plays Tom, one of Lee’s only friends, & who actually lends a hand in having her arrested) are great as supporting characters because that is exactly who they were in Aileen’s life. Theron's performance overshadows most of the brilliant work these 2 do in the film, as well.
I find it very interesting that in recent years, we have had Academy Award winner, Julia Roberts, play a role based on the true story of a woman trying to better her life (Erin Brockovich), and we have also had Academy Award winner, Halle Berry, playing a very similar role as Charlize in a little independent-styled film with the title 'Monster' in it titled, 'Monster's Ball'. If these coincidences do not show that Charlize Theron will be accepting her own Academy Award in February, I will be shocked. She 100% deserves it. No other female leading role this year can challenge this.
There are several definitions of the word 'monster'. One reads, '… a person of extreme ugliness, deformity, wickedness, or cruelty'. And yet another reads, '… one who deviates from normal behavior or character'. While some may believe the former to be most indicative of Aileen Wuornos, I prefer the latter. As evidenced in the film, we see that Aileen was an abnormal child & an abnormal teenager who never quite found a sense of morality. The men in her life certainly were a detriment to her character. She was a tortured woman in every facet of being. She couldn't escape her past or even cope with what she had in the present. Yes, she is classified a monster, but her fate would never have dictated anything but this definition.