Very effective

Rating: 8/10 (12 October 2018)

MONSTER is a very effective serial killer drama that has a lot in common with the even more disturbing HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER. It's the matter-of-fact portrayal of a down-on-her-luck prostitute, one of life's ultimate losers, who one day snaps and decides to take out her long-repressed rage on the violent men in her life. As a true story this is almost documentary-like in feel, bolstered by Charlize Theron's excellent (and unrecognisable) performance as Wuornos, for which she deservedly won the Oscar. The rest is very well made, really getting into the heart of the characters involved; the subject matter is depressing but everything else about this is electrifying.