Monster's Ball

billy bob thornton, death row, deep south, drama, execution, halle berry, heath ledger, marc foster, prison, racism, romance

this has been on our DVD shelf for ages - I'm not sure what
motivated me to finally fetch it down last night, but I'm glad I did.

an extraordinary film, for me - the two stories running side by side, and yet converging, beautifully directed, impeccably acted. The prison scenes were heartbreaking, the relationship between the three generations of prison warders fascinating, the mother/son bond so familiar in many respects.  And an ending that leaves you wondering - highly recommended.

there's a nice little section on the DVD which tells you the whole creative process of how they put one particular scene together, which is fascinating.

Amazon editorial review A harrowing portrayal of Deep South life in the 21st century, Monster's Ball hits you where it hurts most, in the complex realm of extreme human emotions. This is not a movie to pass the time on a Sunday afternoon. With intriguing juxtapositions and some of the best editing of recent times it has all the makings of a modern film noir, yet it's not only the men that end up on the wrong side of the track: pride and ill-fortune are the real femme fatales here.

Billy Bob Thornton is a death row officer whose redneck father has taught him that emotions make you weak, leading to an inability to love his son (Heath Ledger) and feel any compassion for the convicts in his care. When he loses a "loved one", he embarks on a relationship with the widow (Halle Berry) of a man whom he strapped in the electric chair, and the two of them search for comfort in sex, alcohol and chocolate ice-cream. The movie features fine turns from all actors involved, with Berry deservedly winning an Oscar for best actress and Ledger proving he is more than eye candy. Far from concluding the suffering, the ending leaves the viewer in an emotional void in which you will find yourself analysing your own shortcomings, prejudices and emotional ties. --Nikki Disney