A real great movie!

Rating: 10/10 (1 March 2004)

Without a doubt, this is one of the best movies that I have seen in a long time. Charlize Theron gives one of the most compelling and emotional performances in movie history. I would compare it to Maggie Smith's powerful performance in "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" (1969) for complete acting by a leading lady. I had to talk my wife into seeing this movie. After viewing it, she has found it difficult to believe that the charactor on the screen is in real live such a beautiful woman. Charlize makes Aileen Wuornos look and feel so real that she forces you, the audience, to understand what drove this woman to kill 7 johns.
Unfortunately, Bruce Dern once again plays a screwed-up Viet Nam War Veteran ("Coming Home"). To me, he was too recognizable as an actor, which made it hard for him to be beliveable in this role. They should have used an lesser-known actor to play that part.
Christina Ricci, without "Addams Family" makeup was able to look like a fresh face and not a known actor. She gives a good, strong performance and should have received more recognition than she got.
I would highly recommend this movie to anyone with a strong enough stomach to watch the horrible treatment she goes through, but then again every parent with a troubled daughter should see it and imagine what can happen to their daughter if they are lousy parents. Bottom line, that is what put the real Aileen into the depressing life she lived. She deserved better.