Rotten Tomatoes

Movies / TV

    Celebrity

      No Results Found

      View All
      Movies Tv shows Movie Trivia News Showtimes

      Monster's Ball

      2001, Drama/Romance, 1h 51m

      142 Reviews 50,000+ Ratings

      What to know

      Critics Consensus

      Somber and thought provoking, Monster's Ball has great performances all around. Read critic reviews

      You might also like

      See More
      Wonderland
      Malena
      The Quiet American
      The History Boys
      Affliction

      Where to watch Monster's Ball

      Rent/buy Rent/buy

      Rent Monster's Ball on Apple TV, Vudu, or buy it on Apple TV, Vudu.

      Rate And Review

      User image

      Verified

      • User image

        Super Reviewer

        Rate this movie

        Oof, that was Rotten.

        Meh, it passed the time.

        It’s good – I’d recommend it.

        Awesome!

        So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

        What did you think of the movie? (optional)



      • You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

      • User image

        Super Reviewer

        Step 2 of 2

        How did you buy your ticket?

        Let's get your review verified.

        • Fandango

        • AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

        • Cinemark Coming Soon

          We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

        • Regal Coming Soon

          We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

        • Theater box office or somewhere else

        You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

      • User image

        Super Reviewer

        Rate this movie

        Oof, that was Rotten.

        Meh, it passed the time.

        It’s good – I’d recommend it.

        Awesome!

        So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

        What did you think of the movie? (optional)

      • How did you buy your ticket?

        • Fandango

        • AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

        • Cinemark Coming Soon

          We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

        • Regal Coming Soon

          We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

        • Theater box office or somewhere else

      Monster's Ball  Photos

      Monster's Ball (2001) Monster's Ball (2001) Monster's Ball (2001) Monster's Ball (2001) Hank (BILLY BOB THORNTON), Buck (PETER BOYLE) and Sonny Grotowski (HEATH LEDGER). Leticia Musgrove (HALLE BERRY) and son Tyrell (CORONJI CALHOUN). Sonny (HEATH LEDGER), Lawrence Musgrove (SEAN COMBS) and Hank (BILLY BOB THORNTON). Hank (BILLY BOB THORNTON) and Leticia (HALLE BERRY). Lawrence Musgrove (SEAN COMBS). Sonny Grotowski (HEATH LEDGER).

      Movie Info

      Hank, an embittered racist prison guard working on death row, begins an unlikely, emotionally charged sexual relationship with Leticia, a Black woman and wife of a man sentenced to death. The affair begins just after Hank oversees the capital punishment of Leticia's husband.

      • Rating: R (Language|Violence|Strong Sexual Content)

      • Genre: Drama, Romance

      • Original Language: English

      • Director: Marc Forster

      • Producer: Lee Daniels

      • Writer: Milo Addica, Will Rokos

      • Release Date (Theaters):  wide

      • Release Date (Streaming):

      • Box Office (Gross USA): $31.3M

      • Runtime:

      • Distributor: Lionsgate Films

      • Production Co: Lee Daniels Entertainment, Lions Gate Films

      • Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, SDDS, Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR

      • Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

      Cast & Crew

      Halle Berry
      Billy Bob Thornton
      Heath Ledger
      Peter Boyle
      Diddy
      Yasiin Bey
      Will Rokos
      Milo Addica
      Coronji Calhoun
      Taylor LaGrange
      Michael Paseornek
      Michael Burns
      Mark Urman
      Eric Kopeloff
      Roberto Schaefer
      Matt Chesse
      Monroe Kelly
      Frank L. Fleming

      News & Interviews for Monster's Ball

      Critic Reviews for Monster's Ball

      Audience Reviews for Monster's Ball

      • Mar 13, 2021

        'Monster's Ball' refusal to frame with a generic moral compass is precisely why it will endure. The script takes zero easy outs; it is focused on decisions people would realistically make in a world where racism and a lifetime of baggage aren't absolved within 100 minutes - and the honesty is refreshing. It's not clear where it will lead, but the ambivalence works well in favor of capturing people as the creatures of need that they are, when endless hardship strips your soul down to the most basic longing for affection. Decidedly not a feel-good film, because it's better than that: it's a hell of a thinker about how two common people will mine their own versions of solace amongst misery. This dose of realism will sober you up and stick with you well after the credits roll. *Mild Spoilers* 'Monster's Ball' is not a Hollywood white man's redemption story. If anything, it silently draws attention to the fallacy of Hank's self-orchestrated atonement. It's also an unflinching statement about what a particular woman continues to sacrifice even after she's sacrificed everything. Hank is at peace burying the past. Yes, he's a racist bastard, but he (not the film itself) has decided that while he can't stifle what was passed onto him, he does finally care about something in his life - taking care of Leticia. Leticia is initially devastated to learn that her new lover is her husband's executioner, but she has lost so much in her life - husband, son, house, job, car - that she decides that she's okay with burying her rage for - at long last - some semblance of stability and devotion. There's much truth to dissect from 'Monster's Ball' that an emotional manipulative film simply can't give you.

        marisol m Super Reviewer
      • Jun 02, 2017

        Not for everyone, this work requires thought and involvement, leaving those desirous of spoon-feeding disappointed. Excellent performances highlight this serious film that questions our propensity to simplify, to label things, situations, and especially people (including ourselves) in order to 'quickly understand' problems. Eye-opening and unforgettable.

        kevin w Super Reviewer
      • Sep 30, 2014

        A little slow but a good movie about loss and grief. Halle Berry deserved that Oscar.

        Super Reviewer
      • Dec 31, 2013

        Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton go to disturbing places within a disturbing existence with race issues and suffering thrown in for good measure. Their uncomfortable love making is as messy as the situation that they find themselves in.

        Super Reviewer

      Movie & TV guides

      View All