Monster

A number of real-life crimes manage to become the inspiration for movies. For example, the actions of serial killer Ed Gein were the inspiration for the villains of Psycho, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Silence of the Lambs. Only a few times are the real killers brought onto the silver screen (The Boston Strangler, Dahmer, Monster).

Aileen Wurnos (Charlize Theron) has spent a majority of her life working as a prostitute. She starts a realtionship with Selby Wall (Christina Ricci) and that's when the killings begin.

Wow, Theron got really ugly for this. But apart from that, she gives a hell of a performance. The scene where Aileen confesses to Selby about her first murder has to be one of the most affecting scenes I've watched. Although the facts aren't entirely right, Monster shows us that an ordinary person can become infamous from one single act.

My Rating: ****1/2