Our take
Monster is a biographical depiction of Aileen Wuornos (Charlize Theron), a prostitute and serial killer who murdered seven men in Florida between 1989 and 1990. The film follows the burgeoning relationship between Wuornos and young Selby Wall (Christina Ricci, in a role based on Wuornos’ real-life girlfriend Tyria Moore), as she grows increasingly desperate to provide for her young companion financially. Her desperation and her rage against men, brought on by years of both childhood and adult abuse, leads her down a dark path of murder and theft, even as she struggles to shield Selby from the horror of her crimes. The overwhelming highlight of the film is Theron’s mesmerizing performance as Wuornos—a role that won her a well-deserved Academy Award for Best Actress in 2004. She’s almost unrecognizable and altogether phenomenal as the volatile and increasingly unstable Wuornos, whose ferocity is interwoven with surprising affection for young Selby. This unexpected tenderness lends the film an air of tragic poignancy, and provides a bittersweet portrayal of a severely troubled woman. Very much intended for mature audiences only, Monster is a fascinating recreation of a disturbing yet compelling chapter in the annals of true crime in America.
What it won
Oscars
1 win
Berlin
2 wins
Golden Globes
1 nom
BAFTA
1 nom
SAG Awards
1 win
Spirit Awards
2 wins · 1 nom
Nat. Board of Review
1 win
NYFCC
1 nom
LAFCA
1 nom
The story
In 1989, prostitute Aileen Wuornos befriends and enters a relationship with a young woman named Selby. Determined to straighten out her life, Aileen's limited education lands her back on the corner. She's raped by a trick, who she kills. A string of murder and robbery follows that ultimately leads Aileen to becoming America's first female serial killer.
Elsewhere
"Theron breaks through with a ferocious performance -- a real career-changer."
— Peter Rainer
"The drama's uncompromising nature and, above all, Charlize Theron's powerful, physically astonishing performance should attract the kind of critical attention necessary to mine the specialized niche."
— David Rooney
The details
Who picked it
Jamie Rutherford is a contributing writer at A Good Movie to Watch, with film reviews spanning a wide range of genres and eras. Their work on the site has covered titles from Behind the Candelabra to Last Days in Vietnam to Love is Strange.
Charlize Theron is killing it in this movie, literally and figuratively. Phenomenal acting, brilliantly portrayed and those eyes… Similar to Lou’s eyes in Nightcrawler (2014).
Charlize turns into the character … a troubled soul who had she gotten one break or run into one decent person along the way might have become famous for a different reason… or at least might have survived. This is the saddest story of a serial killer who really wasn’t sadistic or cruel or malicious She truly had reached the limit of what one human being can take and like a charged pent up abused bull just wreaked havoc on the world that kind of deserved it. I couldn’t help it — I just wish she’d had a better lawyer. Or maybe the dream team that OJ had because this woman deserved it.