Monster

Patty Jenkins 2003

“Monster” is based on the true story of Aileen Wuornos a prostitute who went on to become America’s only known female serial killer to date.

To my knowledge I have never seen a Charlize Theron film, I knew pretty much nothing about her until she won the Oscar for this film. There was a lot of hype about how Theron changed herself for this role. To be honest I was expecting the usual Hollywood view of great female acting, where the female lead puts on some weight and forgoes the make up and hairstylists for a while. Where great acting equals looking like a normal person. Thankfully Theron goes beyond that. It very rare that I am as impressed as I was by her performance. There are moments in this film where you would swear Theron was channeling the spirit of Wuornos. Theron has a real power and emotion.

The film itself remains largely impartial, allowing room for both sympathy and repulsion for the Devil. It wasn’t till I watched a documentary about Wuornos immediately after this film that I realised the full extent of the abuse that Wuornos suffered as a child. Which, while not being a reason to commit murder, does go some way to explain her mental state.

This is Theron’s film and she carries it. Christina Ricci as Wuornos’ lover Selby is also wonderful; these two people are both damaged in their own ways and seeking love that it seems destined that they should meet.

Thankfully the writer/director Patty Jenkins didn’t turn this film into a feminist rant, and as the film ended, rather than feeling a kind of ‘all men are bastards’ anger; I had a huge sadness for Wournos, her circumstances and her victims.

This is a deeply disturbing and moving film, in a similar vein to “Boys Don’t Cry”. A wonderfully acted twisted love story, I highly recommend it