Charlize Theron's Highway to Heaven

Rating: 5/10 (4 October 2009)

Seeking shelter from the rain, wizening highway prostitute Charlize Theron (as Aileen Wuornos) ducks into a Lesbian bar, to dry out and suck up a beer. There, she meets doe-eyed innocent Christina Ricci (as Selby Wall), who helps usher Ms. Theron out of the closet. We learn Theron was raped at an early age, and has been treated like dirt by many men. An extremely selfish young woman, Ms. Ricci, expects Theron to satisfy her in bed, and support her with money made from prostitution. Theron is poor, misunderstood, and abused; she wants to go straight - but, sadly, a bad trick turns her into a serial killer
"Monster" was based on a true story. The monster is a Ferris wheel, as explained in the "Life is funny, it's hard..." narration, recited after a murder. Theron won a mother lode of "Best Actress" awards; and, other than sometimes seeming self-conscious about having something foreign in her mouth, she is good in the role. Incredibly, Theron and writer/director Patty Jenkins turn convicted murderer Aileen "Lee" Wuornos into a staggering, swaggering Lesbian fantasy figure. Theron's rendition of a familiar two word vulgarism (aka "F.U.") to a secretary named "Leslie", may be one of funniest uses of that phrase in film.
***** Monster (11/16/03) Patty Jenkins ~ Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Annie Corley, Bruce Dern