Monster ***

Cast: Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern
Director: Patty Jenkins

Monster is the story of real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos that starts up right before her first killing. Wuornos was a prostitute planning on committing suicide, but a stop at a bar for a drink would change her mind. At the bar she met Selby, a shy lesbian looking for a friend. The two hit it off and become a couple of sorts. It is an unhealthy relationship with each feeding off of the other. Wuornos provides the money by prostitution until one night she is raped and ends up killing the guy. This is the only "justifyable" murder, but leads to many more as this becomes easier for Wuornos to do than offer sex. Selby is encouraging of this in a round about way, and is to some degree just as guilty. But the killing of the wrong person at the wrong time eventually sends their house of cards crashing. Charlize Theron pulls out all stops in this role, and succeeds greatly. My only objection to this movie is the way it encourages the viewer to sympathize with Wuornos and maybe even feel sorry for her. I suppose that that is a side effect of getting the story from her point of view, but it is bothersome nonetheless.