One of the best movies ever made.

Rating: 10/10 (28 August 2004)

I did not especially want to see this movie at first, but I did so because of my wife's interest and because of my curiosity about Charlize Theron's Oscar-winning performance. "Monster" pulls you into the story immediately and never breaks the spell. Patty Jenkins, the writer/director, shows you the world of serial killer Aileen Wuornos through Aileen's eyes. The storytelling is magnificently done, with every detail adding to the effect. All of the acting in the film is first-rate, with believable, realistic people. Charlize Theron, however, delivers one of the finest performances, male or female, ever captured on film. Before seeing the movie, I wondered if her Oscar might be Hollywood politics or just a "Wow" vote that someone so beautiful could be made to look so unattractive. Only minutes into the film, however, I completely lost any sense of Charlize Theron and lost any wonder at the artistry of the makeup person. Ms. Theron simply IS Aileen Wuornos. Her mannerisms, her voice -- everything! The effect is of watching a well-made documentary rather than a Hollywood movie. After the film was over, and I reflected on what I had just seen, I knew that Ms. Theron had given one of the finest performances ever. She "overcame" her beauty to create someone else who is a totally different person. This is acting at its finest. She is deserving of mention with the very best: Meryl Streep, Dustin Hoffman, Laurence Olivier, and just a few others. The excellent work of Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern, and the other actors should not be minimized, either. The entire film is most notable for the way that it tells its story seamlessly, without ever seeming to be anything other than a documentary of a real life. "Monster" is truly a masterpiece of cinema.