Monster's Ball

USA 2001, 108 minutes
Dir. Marc Forster
Rating: [R16]
Genres: Drama / Prison

Feat. Halle Berry, Billy Bob Thornton, Heath Ledger, Peter Boyle, Sean "Puffy" Combs

Aroview: A surprising success of 2001 after Halle Berry won the Best Actress Oscar, this compelling race-drama is harrowing, angst-ridden and naturalistic in equal quantities, spinning a ‘Southern-gothic’ tale out there with the best. Billy Bob Thornton is prison-guard with a brow-beaten son (Heath Ledger) and the finer feelings of a hand-raised bigot (courtesy of father Peter Boyle), who becomes sexually and emotionally involved with the black wife (Berry) of a prisoner (Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs) he’s just led to execution. As sensational as it sounds and perhaps filmically clumsy at times, but with several courageous performances (on both political and personal levels) and observed nuances that seal involvement.

Member Reviews

Average rating (Good Enough). Showing 1-2 of 2 member reviews.

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3 stars (Good Enough) Emotional performances, racial tension, and controversial capital punishment issues - this is a tense affair which will not be for everyone. Heath Ledger puts himself on the map as upcoming star. ~Tom H
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3 stars (Good Enough) Well written except it takes too much time with the romantic bits instead of concentrating on the important issues. ~Tubbs