Monster [2003]
Director: Patty Jenkins
Actor: Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci
This is a biographic story about a highway prostitute who was executed for killing several men in the state of Florida during the 80s. Aileen Wuornos, or Lee, is played by Charlize Theron, whom you won’t recognise after her make-over and the extra 30 pounds she’s carrying around. Her performance is absolutely astounding, and I fully support her getting an academy award for this part, handed to her on Febuary 29th, which is, incidentally, the Aileen Wuornos’ birthday.
The story picks up when Lee and Selby – whose real name was Tyria – meet while Lee is even further down on her luck than she normally is. They fall in love and Lee is determined to provide for Selby. She does so by doing what she’s been doing since she was 13; hooking. During an encounter with a man set out to rape her, she kills him in self defense, takes his money and car and goes back to Selby. During the following few months she kills more men in a two-fold act of earning some money, as well as taking revenge on the men who raped her when she was young, and the men who used her throughout all her life.
A very strong film about a beaten woman desperately clinging on to her one true love while running from the police and fighting her own deamons.
