Mediocre, but a decent acting job by Theron

Rating: 5/10 (6 November 2004)

'Monster', written and directed by Patty Jenkins is based on the true-life events surrounding the life of Aileen Wuornos, (Charlize Theron) deemed the United States' first serial killer. The film briefly shows her childhood and adolescence, but soon focuses on her adult life, when she became a small-time homeless prostitute. One night she makes her way into a gay bar for a beer and meets Selby, (Christina Ricci) a young, insecure lesbian who spends the night buying Aileen drinks, which begins an intense, dysfunctional and passionate relationship that ends in the murder of seven men and the death of Wuornos in the electric chair.
Theron is really quite good in 'Monster'. In addition to her highly publicized transformation from a gorgeous woman to a fairly ugly one, her acting chops are quite significant. Ricci, who started as such a cute and precocious actress decades ago, is just okay in her role as the naïve and whiny Selby; her performance is nothing better or worse than anything she's done in the last fifteen years. Removing the performances, 'Monster' is just an okay film that leans dangerously toward provoking a feeling of sympathy for Wuornos, a character that really isn't very sympathetic. Therefore, because of this slight bias, I was instantly ambivalent to the film as a whole. Other than this, there isn't anything seriously wrong with the film; it's just 'okay.'
'Monster' certainly wasn't a waste of my time, but by the same token, it's not a film I would seek out again any time soon, nor would I recommend it with any real enthusiasm. 5/10
Shelly