More than just the bio of a killer

Rating: 10/10 (28 June 2004)

Monster is the true story of Aileen Carol Wuornos, a prostitute in Florida who murdered seven men in the late eighties and early nineties.
Based on the title of the movie, and knowing somewhat of what the movie was about, I watched this film expecting a rather brutal depiction of the actions committed by a serial killer. While it does go into detail of some of the killings and what led to them, it's more than just a recount of a killing spree. It's mainly a love story, with a very depressing theme to it.
Aileen (played by Charlize Theron, who did an AMAZING job) meets a younger girl, Selby (played by Christina Ricci, also a fantastic performance), and the two eventually fall in love. While they appear to be complete opposites, they share two characteristics: a sense of rejection from the world, and a desire to be accepted by others. Selby, a lesbian coming from a very strict religious family, and Aileen, who suffered from an abusive childhood, were both looked down upon by those around them.
The movie makes little attempt to portray Aileen as a monster as the title might suggest. Instead, it displays a different perspective of Wuornos' life. We get to see the human side of Aileen. However, the film in no way tries to condone the murders, but instead goes to show that they weren't simply the result of an evil mind. When not killing people, Aileen appears to be a decent, though short tempered human being.
This film effectively tries to show you that sometimes you can be placed in a horrible situation against your will, and that you might have no say in these life-altering events. Aileen, though a murderer, was not someone who decided one day to get up and start killing people. She was severely abused as a child, destroying her self-confidence at a very early age, and effectively crushing any chance she might have had at a decent, normal life.
Monster is a beautiful and depressing drama with superb acting. A movie that can make you feel sympathetic for a serial killer, without glorifying the murders, is a truly effective one I believe. I think this fact intimidates some people, who might not actually WANT to feel pity or sympathy for a person who committed these crimes. I gave this movie a ten, though I'm not sure if it deserves one, I wanted to try and help raise the average as it certainly deserves more than a 7.4.