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.

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

01/23/2025

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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Shane M

@RT05119531 May 10

Watched it three times and I’m still completely hooked 😭 Charlize Theron is absolutely an incredible actress!!!💯I’m obsessed!😭 Truly a masterpiece. 🎬 Monster 👍⭐️

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Slick R

@SlickReviewer Apr 23

Too bad the Gilgo Beach killer didn't pick up a prostitute like Aileen Wuornos, that would have been wild

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Jennianner T

@RT14251615 Apr 1

There was a lot of hype over this movie, particularly Charlize Theron's perfornance. However, I have seen documentaries, and interviews with Eileen Wornous. Theron's perfornance was not even close! There were other great performances that year, all better than Theron. This movie is a waste of time!

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Mar 1

Based on a true story in 1 hour and 49 minutes. The 2004 Academy Award winner for Best Actress (Charlize Theron).

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Steven F.

@SteveGotScored Feb 25

One of the most powerful true crime movies!

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Evelyn X

@yiyi1111 Feb 13

It was a truly heartbreaking film, made even more tragic by the knowledge that it's based on a true story. The so-called 'monster' was, in reality, a victim who had been abused and struggling to survive from a very young age. Perhaps the first killing was a choice, but it quickly spiraled into revenge—or maybe she truly believed she was 'cleaning up the streets' by getting rid of bad men. If she had met just anyone who had truly lent a hand, her life might have been completely different. It’s devastating to see how a mere glimpse of kindness made her devote everything to protecting that feeling, even though, to me, that 'kindness' felt manipulative. And is her partner really innocent? She knew how hard money is to earn, yet she spent it freely without caring where it came from. At first, I felt the performance was slightly overacted, almost fake. But then it hit me: maybe that was the point. It portrays a fragile person forcing herself to appear strong and brave—a defense mechanism.

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Patty Jenkins

Director

Charlize Theron

Aileen Wuornos

Christina Ricci

Selby Wall

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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)