SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: MONSTER

"MONSTER"
(2003) (Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Extreme	Moderate	Extreme	Heavy	Extreme

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Moderate	None	Mild	None	Extreme

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Extreme	Extreme	Moderate	Heavy	Extreme

QUICK TAKE:: Drama: After starting a relationship with a wayward lesbian, a prostitute begins killing her clients to support them in this fictionalized account of a true story.

PLOT:

Aileen Wuornos (CHARLIZE THERON) is a near destitute Florida prostitute whose only friend is Thomas (BRUCE DERN), a Vietnam vet. When she first meets Selby Wall (CHRISTINA RICCI) - a young lesbian living with family friend Donna Tentler (ANNIE CORLEY) and her family after her own father disowned her - she wants nothing to do with her.

Yet, the two see kindred spirits in each other and soon enter into a passionate lesbian affair. That doesn't sit well with Donna, prompting Selby to move out and into a motel room with Aileen. The latter, believing she's finally found love, decides to quit hooking and get a legitimate job. When that doesn't pan out and the two realize they need money to survive, Aileen returns to her old profession.

When one such "job" turns horribly bad, however, Aileen ends up killing the "john." With a newfound taste for blood and the desire to make a better life for herself and Selby, Aileen ends up going on a killing spree that eventually draws the attention of the police and threatens to ruin her happiness and relationship with her new lover.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they're fans of someone in the cast or are older teens simply interested in the material, they might.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For strong violence and sexual content, and for pervasive language.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: CHARLIZE THERON plays a destitute hooker who services various men for meager amounts of money. Desperate for love, she ends up unexpectedly falling for Selby (and having sex with her). She smokes, drinks to the point of drunkenness, uses strong profanity and starts killing her clients to support her and Selby's lifestyle and dreams.
CHRISTINA RICCI plays a young lesbian who's been sent away from home due to her sexual orientation. She meets Aileen while staying with another family, and falls for and has sex with her. She uses strong profanity, smokes and drinks.
BRUCE DERN plays Aileen's old friend who drinks with her in a bar and uses strong profanity.
ANNIE CORLEY plays a family friend who's letting Selby live with her family and tries to steer her in a righteous direction and away from Aileen. She makes a racist remark while doing so.; CHRISTINA RICCI plays a young lesbian who's been sent away from home due to her sexual orientation. She meets Aileen while staying with another family, and falls for and has sex with her. She uses strong profanity, smokes and drinks.
BRUCE DERN plays Aileen's old friend who drinks with her in a bar and uses strong profanity.
ANNIE CORLEY plays a family friend who's letting Selby live with her family and tries to steer her in a righteous direction and away from Aileen. She makes a racist remark while doing so.; BRUCE DERN plays Aileen's old friend who drinks with her in a bar and uses strong profanity.
ANNIE CORLEY plays a family friend who's letting Selby live with her family and tries to steer her in a righteous direction and away from Aileen. She makes a racist remark while doing so.; ANNIE CORLEY plays a family friend who's letting Selby live with her family and tries to steer her in a righteous direction and away from Aileen. She makes a racist remark while doing so.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 182 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually explicit dialogue is present as is material involving a prostitute "servicing" her male clients (including just off camera intercourse and oral and manual sex). That woman then enters into a lesbian relationship with passionate kissing, groping, sex and partial nudity.

Violence consists of various lethal and occasionally bloody shootings, while a man rapes a woman with some sort of rod and some pushing of others occurs. Some of that material may be unsettling, tense or suspenseful to viewers. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes while they and others smoke and/or drink, sometimes to excess.

Several instances of imitative behavior are present as is some tense family material. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: Aileen says that by the time she first met Selby, all she wanted was a beer. We then see her in a bar where she guzzles down one beer and orders another. Selby then buys a pitcher for them, they have some from it, and we later see them drinking shots of liquor (using only their mouths to pick up and sling the shot glasses back).
Tom has a beer that he shares with Aileen.
A man drinks from a flask and then gives some to Aileen before having more (while in a car and ready to have sex).
Aileen drinks from a flask.
We see Aileen with a 6-pack of beer.
We see miscellaneous people drinking in a bar where Aileen and Selby drink shots and then order more. We later see them drinking beer in bed.
Selby has a beer and shares it with Aileen before the latter has one of her own.
Aileen, Selby and others drink in a bar.
Aileen jokingly asks for some more wine in a restaurant.
Aileen appears to be drunk as she has a beer in front of her.
Selby drinks from a brown paper bag while driving.
Selby and others have beer.
Selby has a beer.
Aileen pours shots for Selby and herself but is the only one who downs hers.
Aileen has a beer.
Aileen has a shot in a bar and then a beer with Tom. She later appears to be intoxicated.
Various people drink in a bar.
Aileen orders two whiskeys and two beers in a bar (and appears intoxicated) where others drink. She then appears intoxicated.

BLOOD/GORE: A man punches Aileen quite hard in the face, bloodying it quite a bit and knocking her out. Moments later, she then grabs his gun and repeatedly shoots him (with resultant blood on his shirt).
We see another person's blood on Aileen's skin.
We see some blood on the arm of another of Aileen's victims.
Selby accidentally drives their car off the road. It comes to a crashing halt in a person's yard where Selby smashes her face into the steering wheel, with slightly bloody results from her nose.
Aileen shoots another "john" several times and we then see blood on his shirt.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Aileen is a prostitute who starts murdering her clients for their money and cars.
A miscellaneous person makes a disparaging remark about Selby in a bar.
Before she knows her, Aileen calls Selby a "dumb dyke."
Donna tells Selby about Aileen, "We have no business with people like that."
Aileen lies to prospective "johns" about trying to get back to her two kids in Miami and needing to raise money (all to see if they'll offer to pay for sexual favors).
A prospective employer is mean to Aileen in disqualifying her for a job.
Aileen uses the term, "You think I'm a f*cking retard." Later, a person uses the term "f*cking retard" in conversation.
We hear that a cop who's just taken Aileen into custody arrested her earlier and let her go, but hit her in the past. Since he let her go, he tells her that she owes him and makes her perform oral sex on him.
When a restaurant manager tells Selby she must put out her cigarette, Aileen grabs his arm and then pushes him backwards, causing him to crash into a table and fall to the floor.
About killing others, Aileen says, "I'm good with the Lord" and tries to justify that in several ways.
In trying to explain why people like Aileen are the way they are, Donna equates her to "niggers" and that it's not their fault they're "that way."
Selby has a bad attitude for not turning in Aileen after learning that she's killing people and even telling her to go get another car after a botched attempt.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: Scenes listed under "Violence" might also be unsettling, tense or suspenseful to some viewers.
We see a despondent Aileen sitting under an underpass with a gun in her hand.
Aileen tells a man, "I'll suck you off for twenty" but he says, "I want to f*ck" and she says that will be $30. He then tells her that he loves and hates women as they start to undress (no nudity) in the front seat. He then tells her "suck it a little first," but when she says that wasn't part of their arrangement, he calls her a "bitch" and punches her quite hard in the face, bloodying it quite a bit and knocking her out. When she comes to, she discovers that her hands are tied and her pants are down (we don't see the latter). That man then takes a rod of some sort and repeatedly rams it up her anus or vagina as she lies on her stomach (we don't see the impact, but see the movement of his arm and her pained reaction). He then tells her, "We got some f*cking to do." He then repeatedly kicks her and pours a liquid on her (possibly alcohol) that apparently burns, but she then grabs his gun and repeatedly shoots him (with resultant blood on his shirt).
Donna's husband rushes into Selby's bedroom with his gun drawn when he and Donna hear a strange noise.
Aileen finds Selby crying and trying to tear the cast off her arm.
Aileen aims her gun at another "john" in his car and then makes him kneel before her as she aims her gun at him. He pleads for her not to, but she says she must and then shoots him (we hear but don't see the shot's impact).
Two seedy-looking men follow Aileen out of a bar and then chat with her while she's intoxicated (making us think they're going to do some sort of harm to her, but they don't -- as they arrest her).

GUNS/WEAPONS: Handguns: Carried and/or used to shoot and kill various people. See "Violence" for details.
We see Aileen sitting under an underpass with a gun in her hand. Later, we see Aileen loading and then practicing with her handgun.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "F*ck it," "Hang the f*ck on," "You f*cking bitch," "You m*therf*cker," "F*ck you," "You f*cking piece of sh*t," "F*ck your stuff," "I f*cking hate it," "F*ck it," "You think I'm a (f*cking retard)," "Cut me some f*cking slack," "F*cking lazy bastard," "What the f*ck are/were you doing?" "You're f*cking using me," "Now you f*cking know me," "Who the f*ck am I kidding?" "F*ck this place," "Cat got your f*cking tongue?" "Get the f*ck /in here/out of here," "Where the f*ck were you?" "F*ck 'em," "F*cking bastards," "I don't get that f*cking sh*t," "F*cker," "I never had a f*cking choice," "All f*cked up," "Shut the f*ck up," "What's that (bullsh*t)?" "Piece of sh*t," "Holy sh*t," "I got sh*t lined up," "Sh*t-scared," "Some good sh*t here," "Sh*tty," "You dumb dyke," "You do suck," "Take that stick out of your ass," "Piss me off," "Sucks," "What the hell /is happening here/are you doing here?" "Shove it," "Whore," "Screwed" (nonsexual), "Screwed up," "Nigger" (said by a white woman while talking about black people in the abstract), "Sure as hell," "I'm freaking out," "May you rot in Hell" and "Scum."
We see footage of Aileen as a teen accepting money to flash her breasts (that we don't see) to some teenage boys.
We see Aileen and Selby drinking shots of liquor (using only their mouths to pick up and sling the shot glasses back).
Aileen hitchhikes to pick up "johns."
A bartender has many tattoos.
Selby drinks from a brown paper bag while driving.
Selby has a small tattoo on her shoulder.

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): A mild amount of ominous and suspenseful music plays in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None.

PROFANITY: At least 182 "f" words (14 used sexually, 4 used with "mother"), 56 "s" words, 1 slang term for female genitals ("p*ssy"), 7 asses (3 used with "hole"), 3 hells, 1 damn, 5 uses of "Oh my God," 3 of "Oh God," 2 each of "G-damn," "God" and "Jesus Christ" and 1 use each of "Good Lord" and "Jesus."

SEX/NUDITY: We see footage of Aileen as a teen accepting money to flash her breasts (that we don't see) to some teenage boys.
We see footage of Aileen as a young woman getting off of a guy in the front seat of his car. There's no nudity, but he then pays her before pushing her from his car.
A miscellaneous woman shows cleavage.
Aileen asks a bartender, "Is this a gay place or what? and she learns that it is. When Selby approaches her, Aileen thinks it's a come-on and says that she won't "f*ck" Selby for a beer. Selby says that she doesn't want to "f*ck" her.
Aileen talks about having $5 from a "blowjob" and then mentions something about maybe "I sucked him off for free."
Selby shares her bed with Aileen, stating that nothing sexual will happen, but once they're there, she asks Aileen if she can touch her face. She does, but nothing else happens.
Aileen tells Tom, "I'll blow you if you want" but he turns down her offer.
We see an unglamorous view of Aileen in her bra and panties as she washes and readies herself for the day in a public restroom.
Selby asks Aileen if she's a prostitute and Aileen says that she is. She then asks Aileen what she does to them (her clients) and Aileen replies all kinds of things, but basically whatever they want. She then says that men are easy to read and states some examples, such as a man who likes "a finger up his ass" and another who's into "straight up S&M."
Selby and Aileen kiss while in a roller rink and we then see them outside it (at night) and up against a wall, passionately making out (with heavy breathing) and groping each other's clothed body (some passers-by stare at them when they walk out). Aileen then asks Selby if she wants to go somewhere (to have sex), Selby says she does, but that they can't go back to her place. Aileen suggests a nearby yard, but Selby declines that offer and they decide to call it a night (with some more kissing before parting ways).
After Aileen has agreed to service a man, she says, "Let's see it." He starts to work on his pants but she then says that she was talking about his cash payment.
Aileen tells a man, "I'll suck you off for twenty" but he says, "I want to f*ck" and she says that will be $30. He then tells her that he loves and hates women as they start to undress (no nudity) in the front seat. He then tells her "suck it a little first," but when she says that wasn't part of their arrangement, he calls her a "bitch" and punches her quite hard in the face, bloodying it quite a bit and knocking her out. When she comes to, she discovers that her hands are tied and her pants are down (we don't see the latter). That man then takes a rod of some sort and repeatedly rams it up her anus or vagina as she lies on her stomach (we don't see the impact, but see the movement of his arm and her pained reaction). He then tells her, "We got some f*cking to do," but she then grabs his gun and repeatedly shoots him.
We see Aileen in just her bra (and see another person's blood on her skin).
Selby touches Aileen's clothed belly, but Aileen instinctually grabs Selby's hand and makes her stop.
We hear that a cop who's just taken Aileen into custody arrested her earlier and let her go, but hit her in the past. Since he let her go, he tells her that she owes him and makes her perform oral sex on him. We then see her head go down to his crotch in his car (out of the camera shot that stays on just him) and hear an unzipping sound.
Selby uses the "f" word sexually.
Aileen says that she's been "hooking" since she was 13.
We see Aileen with another guy who asks, "Do you have a wet p*ssy?" She replies, "Yeah, sure" and he asks, "You like to f*ck?" He then tells her to call him daddy while having sex and she sarcastically asks, "You like to f*ck your kids?" He gets mad for a moment, but she smoothes things over and he asks, "Wanna suck it for me?" as his pants are down (we don't see anything). Instead, she shoots him several times.
We briefly see Aileen topless and thus see her bare breast.
After showering (we don't see anything), Aileen walks out in front of Selby wearing just a towel. The two then passionately kiss while seated on the bed and then lie back. Selby puts her hand on Aileen's bare breast, while we see Selby's bare back when her shirt comes off. We then see a close-up of the two passionately kissing and then a later pull away shot of the two snuggled face to face on their sides (partially under the sheet) with what looks like some slight humping occurring between them.
As Aileen is with another "john," we hear the dialogue, "Where do you like to f*ck?" Aileen then wonders if the guy likes it rough, but he says that he doesn't and that this is his first time (he seems a bit mentally slow). She then tells him to take his pants off (he does but we don't see anything) and we then see the movement of her arm as she apparently manually stimulates him (we see him reacting to that and his apparent climax).
The "f" word is used sexually.
Donna tells Selby that one day she'll want a roof over her head "if you have to sleep with a man to get it."
Aileen accompanies an older man into the woods to have sex. He drops his pants to reveal his boxers, but Aileen then says, "I don't f*ck men...use to..."

SMOKING: Aileen smokes throughout the film (more than 25 times), Selby smokes around 5 times, and various miscellaneous characters smoke in several scenes.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: We see early footage of Aileen as a child. She's grabbed by some hands (presumably her father) and we then see her with a black eye (presumably beaten by her father or mother).
We hear that Selby's family disowned her after hearing that she tried to kiss another girl (and then sent her off to live with Donna and her family).
Selby's decision not to return home -- as her father ordered -- doesn't sit well with him (we hear him arguing with her on the phone and then see her in tears from that).
We hear Aileen (in voice over narration) saying that she gave up a baby for adoption at the age of 13.
Aileen talks about her father killing himself.
Aileen talks of being repeatedly raped in the past by her father's best friend.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: The true story on which this film is based and any artistic license the film may have taken with it.
Prostitutes and prostitution.
Lesbians.
We hear Aileen (in voice over narration) saying that she gave up a baby for adoption at the age of 13.
Aileen says that she's been "hooking" since she was 13.
Why Selby or Aileen don't seem concerned about venereal diseases.
The comment/question that "People kill each other every day and for what?"
Aileen talks of being repeatedly raped in the past by her father's best friend.
Thomas equates Aileen's life to him coming back from Vietnam and that others just don't get it.
The death penalty.

VIOLENCE: We see early footage of Aileen as a child. She's grabbed by some hands (presumably her father) and we then see her with a black eye (presumably beaten by her father or mother).
A guy pushes Aileen (as a young woman) from his car.
Aileen tells a man, "I'll suck you off for twenty" but he says, "I want to f*ck" and she says that will be $30. He then tells her that he loves and hates women as they start to undress (no nudity) in the front seat. He then tells her "suck it a little first," but when she says that wasn't part of their arrangement, he calls her a "bitch" and punches her quite hard in the face, bloodying it quite a bit and knocking her out. When she comes to, she discovers that her hands are tied and her pants are down (we don't see the latter). That man then takes a rod of some sort and repeatedly rams it up her anus or vagina as she lies on her stomach (we don't see the impact, but see the movement of his arm and her pained reaction). He then tells her, "We got some f*cking to do." He then repeatedly kicks her and pours a liquid on her (possibly alcohol) that apparently burns, but she then grabs his gun and repeatedly shoots him (with resultant blood on his shirt).
While angry and frustrated, Aileen throws Selby's suitcase across the room.
We see Aileen shoot a client several times, and she then does so again into him as he lies on the ground next to the car.
When a restaurant manager tells Selby she must put out her cigarette, Aileen grabs his arm and then pushes him backwards, causing him to crash into a table and fall to the floor.
We hear the sound of another gunshot (Aileen shooting a "john") but don't see anything.
Selby accidentally drives their car off the road. It comes to a crashing halt in a person's yard where Selby smashes her face into the steering wheel, with slightly bloody results from her nose.
Aileen violently grabs Selby by the head and holds it between her hands as she tries to explain something to her.
Aileen talks of being repeatedly raped in the past by her father's best friend.
Aileen shoots another "john" several times and we then see blood on his shirt.
Aileen aims her gun at another "john" in his car and then makes him kneel before her as she aims her gun at him. He pleads for her not to, but she says she must and then shoots him (we hear but don't see the shot's impact).

Reviewed December 15, 2003 / Posted January 9, 2004

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