Theron carries the weight of 'Monster'

By Jeff Renfro

Long before "Monster" hit theaters, rumors of Charlize Theron's Oscar-worthy performance were all over the internet. Theron's performance not only lives up to the hype, but far exceeds it. Unfortunately, the rest of the movie is not up to par.

"Monster" is the true story of Aileen Wuornos, a former prostitute who was recently put to death in Florida for a string of murders committed in 1988. She is only the 10th woman put to death in the United States in the "modern" era of executions. The film begins with Wuornos sitting under an overpass, contemplating suicide. She decides to live and begins to tell her story. The film features several flashback scenes that show instances of sexual abuse in her past (more on that later). Wuornos ends up in a gay bar, where she meets a young woman (played by Christina Ricci) who is struggling with her sexuality. The two find security in each other and begin a relationship. Wuornos is forced to turn tricks in order to earn money to support her new relationship; on one such encounter, she is brutally raped (in a scene that has to be one of the most sickening in a mainstream release) by an older man. She frees herself and kills the man in a clear case of self defense. Wuornos decides to quit "hooking" and attempts to get a job. She has no credentials and cannot find any work. In order to support herself and her girlfriend, she decides to prostitute herself until she can make ends meet. She sees her rapist in every "John" that she picks up, and murders them before they have the opportunity to hurt her. She commits a series of murders that end with her capture in a biker bar.

Theron ("The Italian Job") is truly amazing as Wuornos. Choosing to set aside her sexpot image, Theron gained a substantial amount of weight and chose to hide her looks under make-up and dental prosthetics. Her face looks completely weather-beaten. There is no point in the movie where the audience gets even a glimpse of Theron's usual character. She is totally immersed in the role. The graphic subject matter of the film may scare away major awards committees, but Theron's performance rivals any in the last decade.

"Monster" is the debut of director Patty Jenkins. She does not yet possess the chops to hang with an actress as talented as Theron. The title of the film is based on Wuornos' media portrayal at the times of her crime. The film attempts to humanize a character that was completely demonized by America. Unfortunately, the film goes too far to explain Wuornos' actions. The audience gets to see the turmoil of Wuornos as she attempts to convince herself that she is still a good person after murdering several men, but these scenes are presented as opportunities for the audience to pity her. Instead of creating a well rounded character, Jenkins oscillates between presenting Wuornos as a victim and a willing executioner.

In the end, "Monster" is merely a one-trick pony. Theron cannot be praised enough for her performance, but the rest of the film falls flat. Jenkins uses conflicting stereotypes as a substitute for well rounded characters.

Grade: B-

û Contact Jeff Renfro at (408) 554-4546 or jrenfro@scu.edu.