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Somber and thought provoking, Monster's Ball has great performances all around. Read critic reviews
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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.
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Rating: R (Language|Violence|Strong Sexual Content)
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Genre: Drama, Romance
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Original Language: English
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Director: Marc Forster
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Producer: Lee Daniels
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Writer: Milo Addica, Will Rokos
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Release Date (Theaters): wide
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Release Date (Streaming):
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Box Office (Gross USA): $31.3M
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Runtime:
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Distributor: Lionsgate Films
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Production Co: Lee Daniels Entertainment, Lions Gate Films
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Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, SDDS, Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR
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Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)
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News & Interviews for Monster's Ball
Critic Reviews for Monster's Ball
Audience Reviews for Monster's Ball
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'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 -
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 -
A little slow but a good movie about loss and grief. Halle Berry deserved that Oscar.
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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.
Verified