It seems long overdue that a feature film about Aileen Wournos would be made. In a time when Hollywood is obsessed with bringing old stories back to life (Hildalgo, several remakes of Freaky Friday etc), many figured it would only be a matter of time before someone embarked on the difficult task of recreating one of America's first female serial killers. Staring Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci and Bruce Dern, Monster is a bleak tale based on a true story. Rather than playing out as a serial killer film, however, first-time director and writer Patty Jenkins smartly decided to play Monster as a failed romance that spirals out of control to murder.
It's well-documented that Wuornos had a difficult childhood plagued by mental and physical abuse and drug use in Michigan. She became a prostitute and pregnant at the age of thirteen, and eventually moved to Florida in search of a better life, earning her living as a highway prostitute.
Monster focuses on the nine-month period between 1989 and 1990, during which Wuronos had a lesbian relationship with a woman referred to as Selby Wall. During this same time, she also began murdering her clientele who attempted to rape her.
I went into the movie theater with no expectations and an open mind and was absolutely blown away. Admittedly, I've often regarded Charlize Theron as merely eye candy for the films she has graced, and have only been impressed with one of her performances (her ability to parallel park a Mini like it was nobody's business in The Italian Job). For this role, however, she completely transforms herself by gaining between 20 and 30 pounds and allowing makeup artist Toni G. to equip her with yellow teeth, brittle, dull hair and unflattering skin. She looks positively awful, and it works.
Ricci's turn as the conflicted lover of Wuornos was at times almost unbearable to watch, as it was difficult to determine whether the acting was naivety at its best or just plain horrible. My friend commented several times that he was "waiting for Casper to appear" during her scenes. Thankfully, Theron's performance commands the screen and gets better and better. I spent a good hour trying to find her inside the character of Wuornos, a hunt that was unsuccessful.
She plays Wuornos as the protector and provider, the one who proudly brings home the bacon to Selby in any manner that she can - including through murder. The film depicts the crimes as being triggered by Aileen's disgust for prostitution and hatred of men, as well as her desire for a better life. Although she kills for the first time in self-defense, she is also lashing out against her past.
The film toys dangerously with the notion that society itself may be the one responsible for her downward spiral, and also has a tendency to let Wuornos off the hook for the killings, regardless of the fact that she admitted to lying about her motivations. Despite this, Monster remains a shocking tale of desperation. Whatever way you chose to analyze it, it all comes down to one thing - the breakthrough performance of Charlize Theron's career.
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