Drama, Rated R.
Director: Patty Jenkins. 
Writer: Patty Jenkins. 
Cast: Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern.

Monster is based on the real-life criminal exploits of Aileen Wuornos, a Florida prostitute who became a serial killer, and brutally murdered seven men during the ‘80s.  Aileen blamed most of her problems on her childhood upbringing, claiming that not only was she poor, but she was constantly beaten and raped as a young girl.  With delusions of becoming a Hollywood superstar, Aileen left home only to eventually end up homeless, with no money, no education, and nowhere to go except into the arms of strangers.  Aileen continued to work as a hooker for years, taking her lumps from angry men that treated her like street trash, until one night when she fell in love.  But to Aileen’s utter surprise the one who won her heart wasn’t a man.  It was a woman.

No one was more shocked by this romantic turn of events than street-tough Aileen, Charlize Theron (“The Italian Job”), because she always considered herself to be straight.  But after a chance meeting in a bar, Aileen was suddenly infatuated and engulfed by the gentleness of a young woman named Selby, Christina Ricci (“The Laramie Project”).  The two impulsively shack up in a seedy hotel, but the honeymoon is shortly over when Selby discovers that Aileen killed a man one night while hooking because he was beating her to death.  Praying it was a onetime occurrence Aileen reluctantly goes back to work, but the trauma resurfaces during her next encounter, creating paranoia and delusions so great, that she kills that man, too.  Afterwards, Aileen realizes she would rather be a serial killer, than a prostitute, and that’s exactly what she becomes.

Writer and first-time Director Patty Jenkins deliveries an ambitious project that succeeds on certain levels and fails on others.  Monster is an intimate story in that there are very few supporting characters.  And, yet, somehow Jenkins doesn’t provide a lot of information about the two main characters making the movie’s overall depth very shallow.  And Jenkins chose to make Monster more of a love story, than a drama, and left a lot of questions unanswered.  On the other hand, Monster seems like it’s supposed to be nothing more than a glorified showcase for Charlize Theron (who also served as one of the producers).  The normally gorgeous Theron literally buries herself into the flesh and spirit of Wuornos and the transformation is almost flawless.  Theron gets down and ugly like she’s never done before in a performance that’s sure to change her acting path.

As a whole, Monster is far from perfect and it will not entice everyone.  But most people will watch this film out of curiosity to witness Theron’s character study of the white-trash serial killer.  And those people will not be disappointed. 

Bottom line. Should you see “Monster”?  Yes.

Review by Chad Goldich