Monster

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Monster

R

2004

1h 49m

Biography

Crime

Drama

LGBTQ+

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

189 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Shortly after moving to Florida, longtime prostitute Aileen Wuornos (Charlize Theron) meets young and reserved Selby Wall (Christina Ricci) and a romance blossoms. When a john (Lee Tergesen) attempts to brutalize Aileen, she kills him and resolves to give up prostitution. But supporting herself and her new girlfriend through legitimate means proves extremely difficult, and she soon falls back on old ways. More johns die, and Selby can't help but think her new friend is responsible.

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Critics Consensus

Charlize Theron gives a searing, deglamorized performance as real life serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster, an intense, disquieting portrait of a profoundly damaged soul.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

12/26/2010

3/5

Powerful, painful for mature audiences only.

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Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

05/04/2005

C

With the exception of Charlize Theron's masterful performance as Wuornos, the film is a misguided mess.

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James Christopher

The Times (UK)

04/15/2004

I can forgive the Oscar- winning makeover, but not the script-doctored romance

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Rebecca Sayce

Starburst

Jan 23

5/5

Monster treads the line between horrific and devastating...

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Ian Freer

Radio Times

08/22/2024

4/5

In other hands, this could have become overwrought melodrama, but Jenkins skillfully mines the humanity within the sensationalism to come up with something that is both tender and chilling - and ultimately heartbreaking.

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Edward Porter

Sunday Times (UK)

10/31/2022

Patty Jenkins’s film may be lurid, but it has a strong air of realism.

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William R.

@MileHighMilk Nov 7

First time seeing this 22 years later, but had to check it out after the recent documentary about her on Netflix. A great movie and powerful acting.

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thiago s

@Thiagostone Nov 7

Filme mais ou menos, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são mais ou menos, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom, e a atuação da charlize theron melhorou um pouco o filme.

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Emily M

Oct 31

I didn't watch it but based on pics and I'm watching a current documentary of Aileen it's so stupid that based on the pics of this movie called Monster they made mentally ill g*y Aileen look good when in fact she killed people so yeah not the writer must have been g*y far left lmao.

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Kimberly M.

@kmerseal Oct 30

I LOVE IT!! On my rewatch 1000 times list!

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Jolin S

Sep 6

Kris Charlize Theron was definitely superb in her role in Monster, but I also believe Christina Ricci played a great role adding an opposite performance giving us a good look at Aileen’s past life and how it drove her to this life as a convicted killer.

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Blake C

Jul 20

Charlize plays serial killer Aileen Wuornos exactly the way she should, a Monster. Casting and location was on point with make-up for Charlize being a 10/10, if you didn't know what she looks like outside of this film you would be just as shocked as the murders Aileen committed. I wish there was more added towards the end leading up to her execution but that's just my option. Overall gripping film with details of her life that could be questioned due to her later in life interviews but powerful story telling adding to a gritty story.

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Patty Jenkins

Director

Charlize Theron

Aileen Wuornos

Christina Ricci

Selby Wall

Bruce Dern

Thomas

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Synopsis

Shortly after moving to Florida, longtime prostitute Aileen Wuornos (Charlize Theron) meets young and reserved Selby Wall (Christina Ricci) and a romance blossoms. When a john (Lee Tergesen) attempts to brutalize Aileen, she kills him and resolves to give up prostitution. But supporting herself and her new girlfriend through legitimate means proves extremely difficult, and she soon falls back on old ways. More johns die, and Selby can't help but think her new friend is responsible.

Director: Patty Jenkins
Producer: Mark Damon, Clark Peterson, Charlize Theron, Donald Kushner, Brad Wyman
Screenwriter: Patty Jenkins
Distributor: Newmarket Film Group
Production Co: Zodiac Productions Inc., MDP Worldwide, K/W Productions, DEJ Productions, Denver and Delilah Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 30, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $34.5M
Runtime: 1h 49m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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