Beauty Turned Beast

Rating: 6/10 (14 July 2004)

I have seen a few transformations in my time, but I can't recall one as shocking as Charlize Theron's in Monster. The babe most audiences have become accustomed to (The Italian Job, Devil's Advocate, etc.) underwent an enormous physical change as she took on the part of Aileen Wuornos.

The role of Wuornos is that of older prostitute who has a trailer-park nature about her (no offense intended to trailer parks owners or patrons) and knows nothing other than sex serving as a way to make ends meet. The portrayal of Wuornos is designed to be a sympathetic one, intended to show the difficulties of "hooking" and how such characters develop from a troubled childhood and other crises in life.
Wuornos ends up meeting a young girl, Selby (Christina Ricci), whose infatuation with her makes Wuornos feel truly loved and cared about for the first time in her life. Wuornos then attempts to "hook" enough money to take her and Selby out of a small Florida town. But when she is beaten and sodomized by one of her johns, it causes Wuornos to start a killing spree that doesn't end until seven men are dead.
This movie attempts to show us the ugly horrors that some of the considered "low" people in life experience. It shows Wuornos as another human being suffering from some grim realities of life while altogether ignorant of others. The film also tries to show you a kind side to Wuornos and why she acted as she did in murdering so many people. But while the plot confronts the hardships and injustices Wuornos suffered, this in no way justifies her murderous actions.
Overall, GREAT acting by Theron and Ricci in what almost seems like Thelma & Louise at times. This movie is definitely not intended for a younger audience and the overall nature of the film will probably appear somewhat depressing to most adult viewers.