Conclusion

Monster is a first-rate film with top-notch acting, writing and directing. This Special Edition DVD will be a required purchase for fans of the film, if only for the expanded featurette and the commentary track. But, as good as this film is, there are some problems. One unintentional consequence of Theron's "getting ugly" is that it's tough to believe that Christina Ricci's Selby would really want to have anything to do with her. The filmmakers try to counter this problem with the device of a cast Selby wears. This is used to convey the idea that she is new in town and with her broken arm, looks and feels out of place. But I still find it at least somewhat unlikely that the beautiful Selby would be this hard up.

Another problem is the speech Bruce Dern delivers at the Last Resort-it feels forced and somewhat out of place. Indeed, Jenkins admits in the commentary that she felt obliged to leave it in out of respect for Dern. As a first-time feature film director, Jenkins obviously didn't believe herself in possession of the authority needed to overrule Dern on this issue and the film does suffer somewhat because of it.

As with any film that is "based on a true story", questions will arise concerning the accuracy of the events as depicted in the film versus the real life facts. As you might suspect, Monster should NOT be taken as literal truth though it is far from being the  "re-write of history" that A Beautiful Mind was. I have arrived at the conclusion that a discussion of the accuracy of Monster is beyond the scope of a DVD review and warrants an article of its own.

I should add that this film that may not be everyone's cup of tea, especially those who are uncomfortable with overt homosexuality, although it is not a "gay film" per se. Having said all this, I will now state that I still highly recommend this film and consider it a "must see". The life of Aileen Wuornos and the phenomenon of serial killers should be of interest to everyone and a film such as this can be a springboard for further study of the issues.

Monster will rightfully be remembered for its great writing and first-rate acting, but ultimately for the sensational performance by Charlize Theron. Patty Jenkins presented Theron with what was probably a once in a lifetime opportunity, and she definitely makes the most of it. This is one performance you simply can't miss.

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