A Good Approach That Just Doesn't Go Far Enough

Rating: Null/10 (18 April 2004)

5 out of 10
True story of Aileen Wournos. A prostitute who killed over seven men in and around the Florida area during the 1980's.
The most interesting aspect of this film is the fact that it merges the morality. Nothing is black and white and the Wournas character is portrayed in a sensitive light. In a lot of ways you really grow to have a compassion for her and a feeling for a her rough existence. In fact during the first incident where she kills a man you are actually rooting for her to do it as he has tied her up and torturing her. Wournas is really a victim and is no way the 'monster' that the title infers. This is one of those 'stories behind the headlines' that allows you to see it from a different perspective and have a better understanding about what happened and why.

This also allows for a good commentary on society where the film seems to place the brunt of the blame. We see her trying to go clean and yet when no one will hire her she is forced to go back to her old ways and then punished for simply doing the desperate acts of a desperate person with few if any options. The real monster here seems to be our socio-economic structure and certain puritanical people who underneath are really quite ugly and just as scary.
The atmosphere is gritty and authentic and never let's up. There is also a nice running commentary by the Wournas character, which allows for further insight into how she rationalizes what she does. Some of her observations are right on target.
The film's biggest flaw is that it puts too much emphasis on her relationship with lesbian lover Selby (Ricci). It's a rather offbeat relationship for sure and there are some telling moments about it, but it's only one element. Some of the scenes between the two go on too long and become boring.
The film also completely skip Wournas's childhood, which seems like an almost fundamental stage to examine. The scenes involving the killings of the male customers are pretty benign. Only the one involving Wilson, who was simply a kindly old man at the wrong place at the wrong time, has any emotional impact.
Theron certainly plays the part without fault and was an obvious choice for the Oscar yet some of the credit really needs to go to the make up department. Ricci is usually pretty good, but some of her responses here seem affected. Still she has a real nice innocent girl look here that ends up exposing a dark side you just don't see at the start.
Overall the film doesn't seem too have as much impact as it should. The approach is a little too biased and they seem almost intent at making Wournas into some sort of martyr. Despite an earnest effort it still seems like just an overview.