5.0 out of 5 stars The Story Of Lee Wuornos

r.f. · November 17, 2022

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } This disturbing, but celebrated film, "Monster", is loosely based upon the life of Aileen Wuornos, a street prostitute who murdered several of her clients. Wuoronos spent twelve years on Floriday's death row before her execution in 2002. Set in Daytona Beach, Florida,"Monster" shows Lee's relationship with a young, gay woman, Selby, a fictional character."Monster" is a gripping, stunning film with Charlize Theron's passionate and all-too-believable portrayal of Lee. The anger pours out of Lee as does her search for love and her hope for bettering herself following a ruinous upbringing. Theron received the Academy Award for Best Actress for what remains a remarkable performance. Christina Ricci offers an excellent performance in her own right as Selby.The movie is intense in its portrayal of Lee and the men she kills and in its depiction of her relationship with Selby. The characters of both women are well-developed as the film builds to its inexorable climax. The film offers a convincing, sleazy setting in cheap bars and hotels, and in isolated rural areas where Lee dispatches her johns. The film also boasts an outstanding soundtrack. The film builds up a great deal of sympathy for Lee, for her hardships and rapes, and for her attempt to rise above a wretched life.I don't remember seeing "Monsters" when it was released, although I knew about Wuornos. The film was the first directed by Patty Jenkins who received the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature. Jenkins also wrote the masterful screenplay. "Monsters" has deservedly become a classic. It is one of the best crime dramas I have seen.Robin Friedman

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Film, Disturbing Legacy, Compassion Needed...

J.G.M.J. · June 29, 2014

Well...What we have here is a disturbing movie in some ways, but that is its intention, anyway. It allows us to think about the marginalized of our society and tries to make us understand what Aileen Wuornos went through in her life. Of particular importance is the absolutely terrific acting by Charlize Theron (for which she received Best Actress in this role) and Christina Ricci, who nearly steals the show. Before viewing, one should take a look on Wikipedia of the real story behind one of the nation's few women serial killers. And then, make a decision as to whether or not she should have been executed or not. In working with those deemed mentally ill as well as the marginalized, I have discovered they all have their own stories, some of which are just plain awful. Such is the case here. Other reviewers state with an air of ignorance and subtle racism that Wuornos should have approached social services in an attempt to wrestle with her demons in a safe manner and get some support, medication and resolution in a halfway house. I seriously doubt that Wuornos had the belief she could trust those agencies in light of the fact no one really understood her, or those demons she grappled so hard with. While it is true that as a prostitute one's daily life is always at risk, knows the dangers faced, and try to get something to eat to keep from starving to death. To care about persons such as what is depicted here knocks on the door of our capacity as humans to show some level of compassion, some level of maturity. That can be hard to do at times. Scenes where Theron faces potential employers are disturbing, as she gets angry and tells them off, rightly so in some respects. Bad behavior, indeed. On both sides. But practicing loving kindness is something not only lacking in Wuornos, but in those potential employers as well, and society as a whole. When you see this film, think about the true fact Wuornos was deemed Borderline Personality Disorder and Anti-Social Personality Disorder. Most of the time, personality disorders are difficult, if not impossible, to resolve, with or without medication, with or without therapy. Then, to be subjected to the criminal justice system in Florida is also difficult, and the subject's notoriety preceded her before she even had the remotest chance of a fair trial. When one deals with pathology of this magnitude, it is indeed, difficult to cast aside one's own prejudices in dealing with this population of the marginalized. The saving grace of Wuornos' legacy is that when one sees this film or reads about her life, perhaps compassion will find a way into one's life so that others may benefit. Movie Critic Roger Ebert at the time thought this the Best Film of the Year when it first came out. I would agree. Worth seeing and highly recommended.

5.0 out of 5 stars let them cast the first stone

J. · July 11, 2007

"Monster" delves into the mind of the first female serial killer, Aileen Wuornos (Charlize Theron.) But it does not condone what she did or take sides. Instead, the film describes her life over the nine months after she found love with Selby (Christina Ricci); from 1989 to 1990. I really liked the narration/voiceover that Charlize did (as Aileen.) It lent a little credence to the movie and some humanity to Aileen, as well.Charlize Theron very rightfully won the Academy Award for her portrayal of Aileen Wuornos. Charlize completely metamorphosed her entire look which was so eerie and uncanny because it was impossible to tell that she was acting in a movie. She also changed the sound of her voice, sounding exactly like the women she played. Charlize is a true actress and very deserving of the Best Actress nod from the Academy. Christina Ricci was also excellent playing the shy and introverted Selby, and has proven herself to be a very accomplished cinema actress.The movie follows the tale of harried and hopeless Aileen Wuornos as she tries to pick up the pieces of her shattered and tattered life. When Aileen meets Selby it was almost love at first sight. Selby practically saved her life and for that Aileen was forever in her debt. I think my favorite scene was when they were together in the bed (that first night they met) and Selby asks Aileen if she could touch her face. Aileen seemed so sensitive and gentle.Besides that horrible rape scene and other depictions of degradation (I really hated that scene with that scumbag cop that picked her up after her job interview), I also found the scenes when Aileen tried to look for work very bitter. No one would give her a chance or listen to her. She had no money, no education, no family; absolutely nothing. All the doors were loudly slammed in her face. Society gladly threw Aileen Wuornos away. She was just another hooker, why did it matter that she wanted to clean up her act? Charlize was especially perfect during these parts. Her look of rage, and total desperation was purely obvious.Another aspect of this story that I found terribly sad was when Selby turned her back on Aileen. Aileen loved her more than her own life and she finally thought that she had a chance of happiness. Maybe Aileen also thought that she finally found a person that she could honestly trust. Maybe if Aileen never met Selby she would still be alive today?I really liked the way the movie ended. It wasn't too deep or sad, instead I found it very surreal because it wasn't too weighty. The movie ended the way it started, with Aileen narrating to the viewers in her own sarcastic and comical way."Monster" did make me feel sorry for Aileen because she was obviously an incredibly broken person that was never given a fighting chance. Someone please tell me why is Aileen vilified while these horrible men that raped her and sexually abused her aren't? Whoever said it's a man's world sure wasn't kidding.

Great movie and great acting

S. · October 1, 2014

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } I love documentaries and this one was well done. C.Theron doesn't look anything like how she normally looks they did an amazing job making her look like Aileen Wuornos. I had mixed emotions about this serial killer movie. Only because I watched a documentary which showed interviews with her and how she was given the death penalty even for the first murder which was clearly self defense as she was raped and tortured. The movie actually didn't show everything she said happened while on the stand. It was pretty horrific what this guy did to her. However after that she went nuts and thought every man was like that. She was also not a very intelligent woman kind of a simpletonshe was very easily manipulated and taken advantage of because she had no common sense. Over all the movie was well done and they did a great job of making you feel sorry for Aileen Wuornos. Which is kinda awful in away but shows that she was turned into this serial killer, she didn't want to be like this, but after the rape/torture she endured she mentally wasn't in her right frame of mind when she killed the other men.

A tough story, magnificently filmed

R.T. · July 24, 2013

Charlize Theron quite rightly was given Oscar, Golden Globe and other nominations/awards for her lead role in this film. Many of the most compelling scenes are where she is doubled up with Christina Ricci in highly charged intimate moments, but there are some wild rough-house action scenes too, and in my view it is that blend of moods and locations that really elevates this film to so much more than it might have been.Charlize Theron plays the part of Aileen Wuornos, America's first female serial killer. The 2-disc version of the DVD includes various interviews and making-of documentaries and featurettes, plus trailers, deleted scenes and so on. Thankfully, the cast and crew who made this film put in a huge amount of time and effort to get into the detail behind the tabloid headlines and to really try and understand Aileen's background and character. They've also taken great care not to either downplay or to glorify the violence. There are some very grim situations, but also some moments of humour and hope, plus a huge amount of superb acting in parts that the actresses were not known for portraying - during daily make-up they apparently had to "de-beautify" Charlize in order to give her face the weathered appearance of Aileen, plus vocal coaching for the changes in intensity needed. Recommended.

Sympathische Serienmörderin?

J.;.H. · July 13, 2015

ACHTUNG ! ENTHÄLT SPOILER !Im Jahr 2003 erschien der Film "Monster" der Regisseurin und Drehbuchautorin Patty Jenkins. Er beruht auf dem berühmten Fall der Serienmörderin Aileen Wuornos (Charlize Theron), die 1992 für den Mord an 6 Freiern zum Tode verurteilt und 2002 durch Giftspritze hingerichtet wurde.Seit dem 8.Lebensjahr von einem Bekannten des Vaters mißbraucht, landet Aileen mit 13 Jahren auf dem Straßenstrich, wo die im Film ca. 30-35jährige seitdem ihren Lebensunterhalt verdient. Ihres Lebens überdrüssig, will sie ihre letzten 5 $ vertrinken und lernt in einer Bar die gerade volljährig gewordene Selby kennen, die zur "Heilung" von ihrer Homosexualität zu einer Tante geschickt wurde und den Kontakt zu ihr sucht.Aus den beiden wird ein Liebespaar, Aileens Versuche, ein bürgerliches Leben aufzubauen, scheitern an erfolgloser Jobsuche, und Selby ist ein verwöhntes Persönchen, arbeitet selber nicht, sodaß Aileen den alten Job wieder aufnimmt.Sie wird von einem sadistischen Freier brutal vergewaltigt, kann sich aber befreien und den Sadisten mit seiner Pistole aus dem Handschuhfacherschießen. Sie bleibt in dem Job, wird vón einem Polizisten gedemütigt und erschießt nach und nach weitere 6 Freier, darunter einen Polizisten und einen Mann, der sie anhand von Steckbriefen des Paares erkannt hat. Im Prozeß sagt ihre ehemalige Geliebte gegen sie aus, Aileen nimmt alle Schuld auf sich.Im Making Off berichten die Regisseurin und C.Theron über umfangreiche Rechersche. Sie haben mit Menschen gesprochen, die die Täterin kannten und nicht schlecht über sie sprachen, es wurde ein sehr umfangreicher Schriftwechsel mit einer Jugendfreundin gesichtet ,der sich über die gesamte Zeit bis zur Hinrichtung hinzog, der Drehort war dann auch die Gegend, wo sich die Ereignisse abgespielt hatten.Das Ergebnis ist ein durchaus fesselnder Film, der Aileen als selbstbewußte, professionelle Prostituierte darstellt, die nach bitterer Mißbrauchvorgeschichte ( die nur kurz erzählt wird) und ca. 15-20 Jahren als Straßenhure ohne Zuhälter ausgebrannt ist. Die Bekanntschaft und die aufkommende Liebe zu der kleinen Selby gibt ihr noch einmal neuen Lebensmut, den Absprung schafft sie aber nicht und hat mit der unreifen Freundin auch keine rechte Unterstützung, Selby läßt sich aushalten, ist zwar über die Taten entsetzt, bleibt aber bei Aileen.Die erste Tat wird als völlig gerechtfertigt geschildert, so wie es im Film geschah, hatte sie keine andere Wahl, sie mußte damit rechnen, nach den Vergewaltigungen ermordet zu werden oder sie nicht zu überleben.Im Verlauf wird noch ein Kontakt zu einem völlig verklemmten Kunden gezeigt, bei dem das Geld mit kurzer "Handarbeit" rasch verdient ist, es folgen weitere Morde zur Geldbeschaffung, die nicht alle gezeigt werden, ein Mord geschieht ohne jede Not aus blankem Haß, der Tote scheint hier stellvertretend für alle Freier zu stehen und zu sterben, der letzte aus blanker Angst und Verzweiflung, weil sie erkannt wurde.Aileen erscheint als Frau, die das Leben hart gemacht hat, auf der Straße und dem Straßenstrich steht sie ihre Frau, sie ist selbstbewußt und, wenn Geld da ist, großkotzig und provokant. Den Weg in ein normales Leben mit Selby, durch "normale Arbeit" finanziert, kann man sich einfach nicht vorstellen.Kritikwürdig ist, daß Aileen in dem Film relativ gut davon- und fast sympathisch rüberkommt. Sicher muß man ihr Schicksal als Mißbrauchopfer berücksichtigen, und das beliebte Argument, daß Frauen mit vergleichbarer Vorgeschichte nicht zur Prostituierten und Mörderin geworden sind, daß Aileen also voll schuldig sei, ist kurzsichtig. Wir erfahren einfach zu wenig über die Vorgeschichte. Und wenn Frauen diese oder vergleichbare Kindheit wegstecken konnten (sicher nie unbeschadet), macht es doch einen Unterschied, ob sie aus einem guten sozialen Umfeld kommt, ob sie Hilfsangebote bekommt, wie gut sie solche Kindheit verarbeiten oder auch verdrängen kann. Nicht gezeigt wird, was sie zu den weiteren Morden veranlaßt hat, dachte sie, nur mit Mord ihr Leben finanzieren zu können und sich den Sex mit den Freiern ersparen zukönnen? Was einmal funktioniert hat, kann auch immer funktionieren? Hingen die Morde vom Typ des Freiers ab? Der eine Mord erschien eiskalt, der andere verzweifelt und widerwiilig aus Angst vor Entlarvung. Im Prozeß hat sie sich ausgeschwiegen, es blieb offen, ob es 6 oder 7 waren, bei der Festnahme schien sie mit dem Leben abgeschlossen zu haben, nachdem sie vorher die Geliebte noch in Sicherheit gebracht hat.Der Film ist aus diesen Gründen kein Meisterwerk, aber ich bewerte ihn sehr gut, weil er fesselte, nicht zuletzt oder besser fast nur durch die schauspielerische Glanzleistung von Charlize Theron, die neben Oscar und Golden Globe fast 20 weitere Preise dafür erhalten hat. Was man von der Nominierung zum MTV Movie Award für den besten Filmkuss mit C.Ricci halten soll, dazu äußere ich mich lieber nicht."Mut zur Häßlichkeit"? Theron soll für die Rolle 13 kg zugelegt haben, sie trug ein Gebiß, was natürlich die untere Gesichspartie plumper machte, und die Fisur mit oben glatt und an den Seiten etwas abstehend zurückgebürsteten Haaren war unvorteilhaft, für Manchen vielleicht auch die aufgetupften Sommersprossen. Sie war aber beileibe nicht fett, hatte nur ein kleines Bäuchlein, dort 5 kg weniger, und an der Figur wäre von vielen nichts auszusetzen gewesen. Sie verkörperte eher einen herben, etwas männlich wirkenden Typ, war aber nicht abstoßend häßlich und sah besser aus als die echte Aileen Wuornos.Es war aber nicht die Maske, die zu einer gewissen Ähnlichkeit mit der echten Ailleen führte, welche Charlize Theron so beeindruckend machte, sondern ihr Spiel insgesamt. Sie ließ ihre tatsächliche Schönheit völlig vergessen, ihr gesamtes Auftreten, ihr Gehabe, ihr manchmal fast rockerartiges Gangbild, das selbstbewußt- provokative Auftreten, die Emotionen im Verhältnis zur Geliebten, das blanke Entsetzen, als sie den einen Freier ermorden "muß", wir wissen nicht, ob das Aileen war, aber ganz gewiss war es nicht Charlize Theron, die Aileen nur spielt, alles war ohne Bruch, immer authentisch wirkend, bewegend, egal in welchem Sinne.Dies ließ mich während des Filmes seine Schwächen vergessen bzw. mich ihrer erst später bewußt werden.Eine schauspielerisches Glanzleistung von Charlize Theron,die mit recht für ihr Spiel und nicht für ihr Aussehen belohnt wurde. Sie allein schon macht den Film unbedingt sehenswert.Doc Halliday

Powerful Movie. Loved it

Z. · July 29, 2016

I purchased "Monster" I watched an episode of "Deadly Women" on Netflix and on the episode they were talking about the crimes that Aileen Wuornos committed. I was hooked so I had to buy the DVD and loved it. It's a sad story. I felt really sorry for Aileen cause she didn't even have a good start in life. She was homeless for two years and became I hiking hooker. Shooting seven men in cold blood. At first she said she was raped but then on a later date she said it was a lie. I personally think that she was abused and shot those men in self defence. She was executed on 9th October 2002. I personally think she should have gotten a life sentence instead of being sent to the execution chamber. Other female serial killers that done much worse crimes compared to Aileen. Rose West killed her daughter & Myra Hindley captured the young children for her boyfriend Ian Brady who raped and killed there victims. They should have been executed for what they done. Aileen was a victim and that's what made her a serial killer.

Très satisfaite

L.B. · February 27, 2024

tout est conforme à la description