Plot
After a family tragedy, a racist prison guard reexamines his attitudes while falling in love with the African American wife of the last prisoner he executed.

Release Year: 2001

Rating: 7.2/10 (46,677 voted)

Critic's Score: 69/100

Director: Marc Forster

Stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Halle Berry, Taylor Simpson

Storyline
Set in the Southern United States, 'Monster's Ball' is a tale of a racist white man, Hank, who falls in love with a black woman named Leticia. Ironically Hank is a prison guard working on Death Row who executed Leticia's husband. Hank and Leticia's interracial affair leads to confusion and new ideas for the two unlikely lovers.

Writers: Milo Addica, Will Rokos

Cast:
Billy Bob Thornton - Hank Grotowski
Halle Berry - Leticia Musgrove
Taylor Simpson - Lucille
Gabrielle Witcher - Betty
Heath Ledger - Sonny Grotowski
Amber Rules - Vera
Peter Boyle - Buck Grotowski
Charles Cowan Jr. - Willie Cooper
Taylor LaGrange - Darryl Cooper
Mos Def - Ryrus Cooper
Anthony Bean - Dappa Smith
Francine Segal - Georgia Ann Paynes
John McConnell - Harvey Shoonmaker
Marcus Lyle Brown - Phil Huggins
Milo Addica - Tommy Roulaine

Taglines: A lifetime of change can happen in a single moment.

Release Date: 8 February 2002

Filming Locations: Laplace, Louisiana, USA

Box Office Details

Budget: $4,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $174,109 (USA) (30 December 2001) (7 Screens)

Gross: $31,252,964 (USA) (2 June 2002)

Runtime: 111 min  | USA: 112 min (unrated director's cut)

Trivia:
Wes Bentley turned down the role of Sonny Grotowski.

Goofs:
Continuity: When Leticia is working in the diner she puts the glass top back on the cake stand twice.

Quotes:
Hank Grotowski: What's that? Some kinda... some kinda annual... school annual or something?"

Halle Berry's shining moment

Rating: 9/10

Independent filmmaking is alive and well and evident in Monster's Ball. This film had a minuscule $4 million budget, a terrific script and a director not afraid to take some risks. Billy Bob Thornton and Halle Berry practically donated their time they were paid so little. The result is a powerful and disturbing film that walked off with a boatload of awards, not the least of which was a best actress Oscar for Berry.

Director Marc Forster conjures a forceful presentation with stark sets, next to nothing in the way of props and other set decoration, and a non existent soundtrack. Forster does it with innovative use of the camera, sharp editing and most importantly excellent actor direction. Forster could have done better at character development and the ending is nebulous and unsatisfying, but these shortcomings can be partially forgiven for the films many assets.

This is an actors' showcase, with outstanding performances all around. Heath Ledger makes a short but intense appearance as the son that Hank (Billy Bob Thornton) despises. Ledger pumps the character full of repressed anger and disappointment, simultaneously resenting him and seeking his father's approval. Peter Boyle is despicable as Hank's bigoted and self centered father. Billy Bob Thornton delivers his best performance since `Sling Blade' with a complex character torn between his prejudices and his attraction to Leticia (Halle Berry).

Of course the big story here is Halle Berry. Berry shows once again that she is not just another pretty face. I first took serious notice of her after seeing her performance in `Introducing Dorothy Dandridge', a little seen TV movie in which she won both a Golden Globe and an Emmy. After that marvelous dramatic performance, I was surprised that she couldn't land roles any better than `Swordfish' and `X-Men', which tapped nothing more substantial than her looks.

In this film, Berry is sexy and alluring, but these are only incidental attributes. She displays a full range of emotions from vibrant elation and unbridled passion, to utter despondency. She practically rips her heart out and throws it at the camera. She can convey volumes with a single look, or come completely unglued with equal impact. Her Oscar for this performance was richly deserved and had nothing to do with her race as so many have rationalized. She just flat out won it going away. As good as Nicole Kidman was in `Moulin Rouge', it wasn't even close.

This is an excellent film that is worth seeing for the acting alone. I rated it a 9/10. It is a compelling and deeply disturbing drama that serious film lovers will surely enjoy.

Comments: