moviemcpeake snippet: I had heard that "Monster" was an ok film that only had the performance of Charlize Theron carrying it. I had heard that it was simple and boring. I heard many things, none really giving a great review of the actual film itself. Although this is not uncommon, I completely disagree with the current assessment of "Monster" by the critics.
The film was just a small glimpse of Aileen Carol Wuornos' disturbing life. It starts by giving a very brief background on how she came to be a prostitute and then starts with her deciding to spend the last five dollars she earned before taking her own life. She stumbles upon Selby and believes she has found love and a new chance at living a clean life. After multiple murders of the men that picked her up, she is caught, convicted, and eventually becomes a victim of the death penalty in Florida.
So many thoughts churned in my head during this film. Accountability for one's actions. Understanding. Having empathy for a murderer. So many monsters played a part in the fall of Aileen. Aileen's father, who abused her, Aileen's father's friend, who repeatedly raped her, her girlfriend, who continually asked her to sell herself for money, the first man she killed, and in the end the State of Florida. Aileen started her life as a victim and through unfortunate circumstances made others victims from the fear and rage and monsters that Aileen could never escape. One thing cannot be denied is every person has their story. Every story has another side. And every person has the right to tell their story. In the end people must be held accountable for their actions. But should the death penalty be a consequence for actions committed from someone who is a victim themselves? For Aileen, her execution was the last monster in her life she had to face. Her death ended a lifetime of monsters.
The story itself was complicated. Humanize a prostitute that killed seven men and anchor the film with a love story. A tragic love story that unfortunately, for the two social misfits involved, was nothing more than a young naïve girl needing attention and a lost woman needing to be loved. Instead of depicting and capturing Aileen's entire life, the film focused on the emotions and events that she faced from the day she met Selby to the day she was caught. There are many things I would like to know. It left me curious about Aileen and her childhood, her life in prison. But that is what a good film should do. Encourage your mind to continue to explore the story. It does not need to answer all your questions; it does not need to layout the entire story. The film did exactly what it needed to, let Aileen tell her story.
Charlize Theron. Oscar winner. She captured a monster and made her a woman. I really cannot explain the performance in this review. It is something that can only be seen. It is something truly remarkable.
From time to time we are lucky enough to take part in films that awaken emotions we didn't know we were capable of having. Allowing us to see sides that we didn't know existed. Whether they invoke confusion, anger, sadness, darkness or whether they are disturbing or pleasurable. If you are able to be a part of something that makes you see differently in a way you never would on your own, it is something worth experiencing. Aileen's story captured in "Monster" is something worth experiencing.
recommendation: see it and use it as a tool to re-think about the death penalty.
moviemcpeake snippet: This film definitely had the weird factor. It also had a unique story that I have never seen anything like. It is haunting but also has a “what the f**k” quality to it. Alexandra’s Project is about a husband who is having a great birthday. He comes home to expect his surprise party to end his wonderful day. What he gets is a surprise, but nothing near a party. His wife leaves him a tape to watch and through careful plotting can force him to watch it even though she is only on the tv.
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