Christina Ricci and Charlize Theron in Monster
Christina Ricci and Charlize Theron in Monster
Monster is an indie film shot on a tiny budget over 29 days in the heat of central Florida. It is a strong directorial debut but it does have its flaws. It is a teensy bit try-hard and the Christina Ricci lesbian role is completely underwritten so the supposed great love of Aileen’s life comes across as a caricature, swamped by the overwhelming strength of the Wuornos character. Jenkins succeeds in garnering empathy for a damaged woman who lost her way. Was she really a lesbian? Wuornos herself never claimed to be and Jenkins leans on the looking-for-love theory that landed Wuornos in the arms of a woman. Monster is a devastating story but the journey is well worth taking if only to watch Charlize transform herself so radically. It is also good to see the great Bruce Dern, one of only a few actors to have "killed" John Wayne on screen, in a supporting role.
