Monster (2003)

Directed by Patty Jenkins

Written by Patty Jenkins 

Starring Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, and Bruce Dern 

     Patty Jenkins brings us a dark and chilling film based on the real life of Daytona Beach prostitute turned serial killer, Aileen Wournos (Charlize Theron), who murdered seven men in 1989. Going into this film I was very hesitant considering Jenkins really had no past track record. Charlize Theron and Christina Ricci both never had any memorable past roles either that drove me to watch this film. However, after seeing Theron play this haunting character I will always be a fan of hers. 

     Set in Daytona Beach, Florida where real life Wournos commit her murders, the film starts with the prostitute on the verge of putting a gun to her head under a highway over pass. Then she meets Selby (Christina Ricci) at a gay bar, who I assume resembles Aileen's real life girlfriend Tyria Moore. After the initial denial of Selby by calling her some vulgar terms used towards lesbian women, Aileen who is looking for any form of affection for her barren life, eventually becomes very taken with timid Selby, who is living with family friends because her father kicked her out. Aileen murders her first "john" after he beats her, ties her up and tries to rape her. From that point, what we're thought to believe is a "cute" lesbian relationship (based on the roller skating scene) turns into Selby enabling Aileen's sudden erratic behavior. The first murder seems justified, as her life threatening predicament left her with no other option but to shoot the man in self-defense. However, from there everything goes down hill very fast as each of the next victims become progressively more innocent, leading up to her last murder which was a case of the man being in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong person (Aileen). 

     Jenkins presents Aileen in a very interesting way as we neither sympathize or empathize with her. She leads us to understand why Aileen committed all these murders time and time again, not why we should acquit any of our previous beliefs of Wournos being a "monster". Jenkins does present us with this unconventional "love" story between Selby and Aileen as a way to further display why Aileen commits these murders, not in an attempt to humanize her and justify her actions. 

     By far the best thing about this film was Charlize Theron's depiction of the real-life serial killer. Theron's transformation from glamorous to homely is quite astounding. While most of the credit goes to the make-up team, Theron still deserves appraisal as she gained over twenty pounds and let her body flab and sag in some unflattering places. She didn't just become "ugly" on the outside to play this role. She perfectly adopts the mannerisms and dialect of the Daytona Beach prostitute that blows all the fellow 2003 oscar nominees out of the water. Theron delivers an unforgettable character that is probably the best of her career so far. Monster is an eerie drama film that is no way like any other "monster" or "slasher" horror movie. It is real. It is scary. 

I give Monster an...

7/10