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I just finished watching Patty Jenkins' film Monster and I'm completely impressed.
The story is based on the life of Aileen Wuornos, a prostitute turned serial killer. Wuornos killed seven men who picked her in the Florida area in a seven month period starting late in 1989.
The film begins with Wuornos (Charlize Theron) thinking about killing herself, but decides not because she wants to spend the last five dollars she made from a 'john.' She wanders into a bar and is picked by a young lesbian Selby (Christina Ricci). Even though Wuornos is not gay, Selby is nice to her, and she eventually falls in love with her. They move in together and Aileen provides for Selby. Wuornos tries to get a legitimate job, but finds it impossible with no work history. Aileen is forced to return to what she knows to make money.
Unknown to Selby, Aileen has already killed a client who violently beats and rapes in a gruesome scene involving a tire-iron. Wuornos justifies killing the other men by past sins they may have committed. The exception being the last man, a good family man, who is just trying to lend a hitch-hiker some help.
Aileen confesses about the first killing to Selby. Selby forgives her, but doesn't learn about the other murders until she sees their images in the media. Aileen is caught. Selby testifies against her to avoid going to jail. Aileen is found guilty an executed by lethal injection in 2002.
What I found most amazing about this film was Charlize Theron. Yes, I cannot even believe I'm writing this. This was one of the greatest acting performances I have ever seen. After gaining thirty pounds; having her hair thinned, and prosthetic work, I couldn't even recognize this blond beauty. Her nervous behavior was incredible, all the subtle twitches, how she reassures herself by staring favorably into a mirror. Charlize Theron showed real nerve by taking on a role under a first time director in a controversial non-commercial film. Christina Ricci gives a strong performance as the excitement seeking Selby. Solid supporting jobs by Bruce Dern and Scott Wilson.
On an interesting side-note, Scott Wilson plays one of the victims in the film. The complete opposite of the part he played in In Cold Blood, the Truman Capote true story about two men, (Robert Blake and Scott Wilson), who kill a family on a Midwest farm for hidden money.
The story is based on the life of Aileen Wuornos, a prostitute turned serial killer. Wuornos killed seven men who picked her in the Florida area in a seven month period starting late in 1989.
The film begins with Wuornos (Charlize Theron) thinking about killing herself, but decides not because she wants to spend the last five dollars she made from a 'john.' She wanders into a bar and is picked by a young lesbian Selby (Christina Ricci). Even though Wuornos is not gay, Selby is nice to her, and she eventually falls in love with her. They move in together and Aileen provides for Selby. Wuornos tries to get a legitimate job, but finds it impossible with no work history. Aileen is forced to return to what she knows to make money.
Unknown to Selby, Aileen has already killed a client who violently beats and rapes in a gruesome scene involving a tire-iron. Wuornos justifies killing the other men by past sins they may have committed. The exception being the last man, a good family man, who is just trying to lend a hitch-hiker some help.
Aileen confesses about the first killing to Selby. Selby forgives her, but doesn't learn about the other murders until she sees their images in the media. Aileen is caught. Selby testifies against her to avoid going to jail. Aileen is found guilty an executed by lethal injection in 2002.
What I found most amazing about this film was Charlize Theron. Yes, I cannot even believe I'm writing this. This was one of the greatest acting performances I have ever seen. After gaining thirty pounds; having her hair thinned, and prosthetic work, I couldn't even recognize this blond beauty. Her nervous behavior was incredible, all the subtle twitches, how she reassures herself by staring favorably into a mirror. Charlize Theron showed real nerve by taking on a role under a first time director in a controversial non-commercial film. Christina Ricci gives a strong performance as the excitement seeking Selby. Solid supporting jobs by Bruce Dern and Scott Wilson.
On an interesting side-note, Scott Wilson plays one of the victims in the film. The complete opposite of the part he played in In Cold Blood, the Truman Capote true story about two men, (Robert Blake and Scott Wilson), who kill a family on a Midwest farm for hidden money.