Beautiful, sad masterpiece of film-making

Rating: 9/10 (23 August 2004)

Monster (2003) C-109 min. D: Patty Jenkins. Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern, Lee Tergesen, Annie Corley, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Marco St. John, Marc Macaulay, Scott Wilson. Theron delivers perhaps the greatest performance by a lead actress ever, playing female prostitute/serial killer Aileen Wuornos, executed in 2002 for murdering seven men in 1989. Ricci also hits home as her lesbian lover Selby. The murders are gruesome and disturbing, especially the last murder that is extremely hard to watch, as Aileen murders a man who simply wants to help her. Highly recommended, though not for the squeamish (or close-minded). The film does a good job of not excusing Aileen's behavior, instead just serving as an explanation of how a human being could turn into someone so cold, heartless, and devoid of any redeemable qualities whatsoever. It's a beautiful, sad masterpiece of film-making. RATING: 9 out of 10. Rated R for violence, profanity, sexual situations, nudity.