Monster (2004)

sympathetic yet horrifying portrayal of a serial killer

This is a great film. The actors are absolutely first rate: Theron must have gained 30 pounds for the part and is completely unrecognizable and thuggishly ugly; Ricci is a kind of mousy yet complicit accomplice, greedy for experience. The two meet and find an unusal synergy: Theron is a seriously troubled, alcoholic hooker with a horrible past and prone to violent rage, and Ricci is a lesbian trying to escape her prying family. Somehow, they find love in a completely believable way. In addition, the story is rivetting. To maintain their life style and express her rage, Theron goes on a murderous rampage of robbery and murder, after killing a brutal rapist. In a way, she is searching for justice, but gets crazier as she continues and feels increasingly desperate to maintain Ricci's love, which is perhaps the only good thing she has ever known and yet based on the cash that Theron brings in. It is very sad, the viewer empathizes with Theron, and yet feels repelled by the horror and confusion and murder.

Truly masterful. Recommended with enthusiasm. November 10, 2008

Bad

Monster may have been a passable film had it been good art, or at least attempted to portray the true story of Aileen Wuornos. Instead, it fails miserably on both scores, content to have an ABC Afterschool Special like patina in its approach. I also, after viewing this film, know another reason why I wanted to not see it, and that's because after two years of this unjust and wasteful war of invasion President Bush launched in Iraq I did not want to be reminded that sometimes even the reactionary Right Wing Radicals can still be right about something; and that is only a deluded out of touch Hollywood Feminazi sympathizers could serve up such crap, and then fete it ceaselessly. This is one of those films and performances that in ten or so years people will cringe at as being one of the worst selections ever. Let me be the first to say it- Theron's award winning performance is one of the worst to ever win an Oscar- it is not deep, nor scary, and even lacks the essential redeeming silliness of a Hannibal Lecter or Freddy Krueger. This film is one of those that people are just agog at, and so at odds with the Hollywood machine and its fawning parade of acolyte critics, that no one has the guts to say it's terrible. And, worst of all, every time I think about the film, and Theron's performance, it slides down another notch in my mind, just like so-called feminists who see a hero in Aileen Wuornos. That said, the Monster referred to in the title of the film most aptly applies to the film itself. Avoid this tripe! September 14, 2008

Monster Revealed

Monster

Although not entirely accurate in this DVD's representation of Aileen Wournos, at least according to her final confession, it is a well-crafted movie; exciting, and always pushing the envelope. I liked it, and would recommend it to anyone interested in the sad life of Aileen Wournos. It is well-worth watching.
August 25, 2008

Hits like a sledgehammer!!!

Blood and Rain
Blood for the Masses

Monster
Based on a true story.

Written and Directed by Patty Jenkins
Starring Charlize Theron as Eileen Wuornos
Christine Ricci

Revewed By
B.L.Morgan

Rating: 5 out of 5

The first statement I have to say about Monster is that I did not enjoy watching this excellent movie. Monster is harsh and grim and almost painful viewing. It is also a true story. That in itself is what makes this important picture hard to look at.

Life can be terribly harsh and the world was not kind to Eileen Wuornos.

Brutally abused as a child and cast out at a young age into an uncaring world she turned to a life of highway prostitution. Her life became a cycle of drug and alcohol abuse and selling her body to guys who frequently beat her because that's what got them off. She accepted it all and didn't care until she fell in love with another woman.

Charlize Theron's portrait of a woman who will do anything, including murder, to keep her one chance at love alive is gut wrenching. She became this damaged woman. Theron won The Best Actress Academy Award for her role in Monster. She deserved it. Eileen Wuornos cannot and should not be forgiven for the crimes she committed but this movie does make you understand the hows and whys of what happened in her life.

Monster was graphic and tense and emotionally draining. It was a highly uncomfortable one hour and forty-nine minutes that I spent watching this film. I will never watch Monster again but I'm glad I did see it the one time.
July 31, 2008

True Story of a Femal Serial Killer

Excellent movie about the real life actions of one of the few female serial killers. Very non-exploitative considering it's subject is a pair of lesbian lovers, one of which is an violent murderer. The characters are real, you can feel pity for them and their hard lives, but you also feel the very deserving sense of disgust that they earn for themselves. This reality is brought to the characters by the amazing acting of both Charlize Theron and Christina Ricci, with the infamous transformation of Theron who gain 20 lbs, wore fake teeth, and went sans makeup, bringing the "monster" of the film to life. If your interested in serial killers, true crime movies, or dramas dealing with ill-fated romances, then this is the movie for you... May 24, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...