Monster

[Fierce Critter]

Another DVD I've watched recently.

First off, if it wasn't for the the hubbub over Charlize Theron's performance and a prior curiosity about Aileen Wuornos, I don't think I'd have been interested in this movie at all. I'm train-wreck curious about serial killers, but don't go out of my way to see movies based on or featuring them, or in any way justifying them.

Which is, unfortunately, what I feel was done in this film. I know there are people out there who can argue that point, and that's fine - you can easily look at it from opposing viewpoints and each are valid. But I really did think that, in the effort to make this into a "love story", things got a bit unbalanced.

First off, the acting really was good. In particular, CT's. She really did a great job. As for Christina Ricci, well, she didn't have much to work with. And I really like CR, but I wasn't real impressed with her character.

As for the story, no real surprises. But like I said, I have previous knowledge of the A.W. story.

That said, after watching the film, I did some fact-checking online to see how much they fudged things to enable one to watch it from the love-story angle. This wasn't a documentary (I've yet to see the much more praised one that came out around the same time), so I don't expect EVERY fact to be presented. But I wasn't surprised to learn they left out an awful lot of details that wouldn't allow her to seem such a sympathetic character.

It's an interesting story, but I don't really recommend it highly. Even I, who enjoy a fair amount of brain candy as film entertainment, kinda felt I could have much better spent 2 hours of my time doing something other than watching that film.

I intend to see the documentary if I can ever find it in this nowhereland or if I ever finally get a NetFlix subscription.

[JaneDead]

i just want to add- that i can't hear that journey song ever again without picturing the two of them making out at the skating rink. my sister told me that happened to her, and i watched it and it happend to me too.

[fallennon]

It took me almost four days to finish the movie because I kept falling alseep. CT's acting was great, but the story was lacking. I also an kind of a serial killer buff and was disappointed with the way they made her out to be.

[The_Dark]

I've read a few reviews of this movie.. one by the biography of the actual person the movie was about. Everything I have read said that the movie charactor had little in common with the real person.

After watching it I see their point. The movie tried to make you feel sorry for her. She was a cold blooded killer. I am also thinking she was most likely more entertaining than the movie too.

[fallennon]

I'll agree with you on that...everything I have read about her makes her way more entertaining then the movie...Critter, I am going to rent that documentary and I'll let you know if it was any good.