You will sympathize and relate to the character

Rating: 9/10 (19 August 2005)

as played by Charlize Theron; that is how you know a good film has been produced, without the usual stereotypes and violence.
When we do see violence, it is depicted realistically. For example, when Aileen Wuornos is raped. It seems that she initially kills for self-defense; she is basically working as a prostitute on the main highways in Florida, so that she can survive.
Sadly touching is when she tries to apply for a job in a law office: while she has no skills, she tries to straighten out her life, to no avail. It is shown how society fosters the demise of those without any resources; she has no one to help her; and is also taken advantage of by a local police officer.
Another pivotal scene is when Christina Ricci is arguing with her aunt; Christina plays Ty (pseudonym Selby, in the movie), Wuornos' friend. Her aunt lectures ..."these people can't be helped... or we'd all go 'round killing' people or doing drugs just cause we had a mean mom"... She also says they would all be better if they ..."found the light".... This accurately reflects society's denial and judgmental attitude when it comes to any rehabilitation or nature/nurture debates.
It is easier for society to blame the individual, Aileen Wuornos, than to examine the psychological cause and effect of her upbringing; it is a fact that she was raped by her own father as a child, and her mother abandoned her to the streets at age 13 when she was impregnated. Many of these facts would have been worth exploring (For example, how does her mother live with herself, now), but perhaps the length and flow of the film was a factor.
I hope that we see another film with similar subject matter in the near future!. Aileen Wuornos was executed, and society helped her get there. This is not simply a "liberal" viewpoint; it is a humane point of view.