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Actors: Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Monster |
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Aileen (Charlize Theron, in an Academy Award-winning performance) is down and out, a street whore since she was 13, when one day she wanders into a gay bar and meets Selby (Christina Ricci), with whom she falls in love. Selby and Lee run away together, but Selby can't work because she has a broken arm and so Lee has to continue prostituting herself to provide for them both. One day one of Lee's johns rapes and beats her, and she shoots him in self-defence. She then steals his car, clothing and money. After this she tries to get a real job, but not having any qualifications, doesn't get anywhere. She tries to go back to prostitution but ends up killing her johns and stealing their possessions instead. But the law is catching up to Aileen Wuornos.
--Olivia Hopkins, Resident Scholar
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Aileen decides she is going to commit suicide when she enters a bar for a drink and meets Selbie. They fall in love. Aileen prostitutes herself to get some money, but when she gets brutally raped, she kills the client. Angered by the incident, she continues killing her future clients, thinking that all of them just want to rape her. She thinks she will not get caught, and is confused because of her past and her feelings, and because she will do anything for Selbie.
--Neera Mandavia, Resident Scholar
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Based on the true life of serial killer Aileen Wurornos, "Monster" depicts a 9 month period in which Wurornos had a romance with a shy lesbian named Selby. Selby was the only person who loved Aileen, and Aileen was afraid of losing Selby.
Aileen tries to look for work, but she is refused. Sadly, Aileen returns to hooking. Unfortunately, her first john tries to rape Aileen, and she shot him in self-defense. Aileen again wrongly formed the idea that all of her clients would rape her. She eventually killed 7 innocent men and stole all their money and cars. Concerned for Selby's safety (since the police already had composite sketches of them), Aileen sent Selby back to her home in Ohio.
Meanwhile, Selby thought it was wrong for Aileen to murder innocent men. In Ohio, Selby turned Aileen in. In the end, Aileen was executed on the charge of 7 murders.
--DW, Resident Scholar
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In 1989-1990, a highway prostitute named Aileen Wuornos murdered seven johns in Florida. She was executed for her crimes in 2002. "Monster" centers on a nine-month period when the Michigan native met an 18-year-old girl named Selby (Ricci), they fell in love, and "Lee" began killing after failing to go straight and make a decent life for the two of them. Charlize Theron managed a miraculous physical transformation for this role -- putting on 30 pounds and having her face mottled with sun dapples -- but her acting is even more amazing: She captures a feisty victim, a deluded dreamer who was also hard-eyed and pragmatic. Despite a violent and extremely sensational story, this 2003 film written and directed by Patty Jenkins (her debut) is skilled, nuanced, and stunningly objective. I don't see how anyone could possibly beat Theron to the next Best Actress Oscar.
--David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of Monster |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of movie:
- 1980's-1999
Crime & Scandal
Yes
Story of
- Killer POV story
Taboo Sex Story?
Yes
Kind of sex:
- rape
- LESBIANS!!!!!!
Job/Profession/Poverty Story?
Yes
Job:
- prostitute
Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Profession/status:
- prostitute/concubine
Age:
- 20's-30's
Eccentric:
Yes
- deluded
- emotionally unstable
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- blonde
Hair type
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn wavey
Body type
- (woman) ample bosom & buttocks
- (woman) average
Unclothed?
- Chest
Events of movie makes character more...
- tougher
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
- hard edged
Sense of humor?
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- brunette (Black)
Hair style
- (woman) short/butch/lez
Body type
- (woman) average
How much in movie?
- 80%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- general circumstances
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Southeast
Small town?
Yes
Misc setting
- bar
Style
Movie makes you feel...
- depressed/sad
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- kissing
- touching of personal anatomy
- licking
- lesbians!
- actual description of sex
- seeing breasts
- seeing nude female butt
- sex under blankets
Any profanity?
- A lot of foul language
If soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE...
- Classic/oldies rock
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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