What if Thelma & Louise was based on a true story?

Rating: 8/10 (19 November 2007)

Monster is a film about self discovery; it's about friendship and the gruelling reality of life and how it can hit those when they least expect it. Aileen (Theron) doesn't start out a serial killer in Monster but due to unforeseen events, sort of becomes one; Selby (Ricci) doesn't start out a girl in a large, wide world full of life experience but due to unforeseen events, you bet she is by the end of the film through realising food doesn't put itself on the table and money doesn't grow on trees and this forms the basis of the film Monster; a film directed by a woman, about women and about finding out who or what certain people really are.
It's probably been noticed before I'm saying it here but Monster really reminded me of Ridley Scott's 1991 film Thelma & Louise; a film in itself an entertaining and unpredictable one about self discovery and 'dates with destiny'. One outlining problem I had with that film was its lack of commitment towards its content; it should have been a dark film revolving around dark matter but it remained light and upbeat thanks to the constant innocence of its leads and the friendly county music that popped up every now and again. In Monster, I have found the film I wanted Thelma & Louise to be  a darker tale about two women on the run.
I would go so far as to say that Monster actually feels like a remake of Thelma & Louise. Firstly, you have the two leads who are complete binary opposites: Aileen is the lead, almost hard bodied, character who is a trickster, a liar and a prostitute whereas Selby is the angelic sidekick who lives at home and still has other kids as friends: there is also a sweet camera shot where Selby looks into a mirror and smiles at herself which although quick is by no means insignificant - if Selby is Thelma then Aileen is Louise. Secondly, it's Selby who runs away against her family's wish just as Thelma did in the other film but this time instead of running away from a domineering husband she is attempting to, perhaps wrongfully to some, escape her mother and father. Thirdly, the initial incident that sparks the film into life is an attempted rape on one of the girls; funnily enough it's the Aileen/Louise character and Aileen reacts in the exact same way Louise did. The difference here is that in Monster, she is actually raped whilst being bound in the car's front seat with the repercussions of her rape evident later on in the film when she showers but Thelma & Louise, being not as dark, was a lot more straightforward and a lot less bloodthirsty.
Another thing that Monster does in a much more detailed and analytical manner is its study of the characters. Thelma and Louise were both relatively recognisable characters whom instead of starting out 'bad', merely progressed to that stage. We aren't told of Thelma's 'past incidents' but in Monster, we not only know what Aileen does but we get to see her do it, ie; being picked up at various points and discussing types of sex and costs. What disturbed me here and what made it clearly identifiable over Thelma & Louise was that Monster makes Aileen out to be rather masculine or at least gives her masculine traits. I already mentioned she is hard bodied but she is very unattractive, talks and acts like man and doesn't dress particularly glamorously  this twinned with the fact she is a lesbian means that she would go for girls if faced with the chance, something the male subconscious apparently thinks about every dozen seconds or so. There is also the matter relating to the cast on Selby's arm. Although seemingly random and insignificant; whenever the cast remains on, arguments and disagreements are never far away  to me, it felt like a part of home was still attached to Selby but what's interesting is that as soon as the cast comes off; Selby and Aileen have sex: she is now free and has 'cast off' any lingering feelings of doubt about the situation. No, it's not a coincidence her arm heals by the time Selby and Aileen reach that stage of their relationship.
Amongst all the analysis of gender and comparisons to Thelma & Louise, Monster remains a dark and bleak film with a captivating story and two very, very fine pieces of acting. There is a definite atmosphere of chance; a hopeless feeling that eventually, everything will not be alright. The film's dark approach and dark subject matter is not tampered with like in Scott's 1991 road movie and it was pleasing to have such a film that didn't have many 'laughs' or secondary characters to sometimes cut to whenever the film felt like it. Monster is clever and interesting film-making that although relies on previous efforts, still manages to feel fresh.