Review of Monster's Ball (2001) by Jillian L — 17 Jan 2012

So, I decided to watch this movie because Halle Berry won the Oscar for it. In that respect, I'm glad I watched it. The acting performances from the cast as a whole were extremely well done. Halle Berry totally deserved her Oscar.

Billy Bob Thornton gives one of the best performances of his career. Peter Boyle is despicable and pathetic (and I mean these as compliments) as Thornton's dad. And even though Heath Ledger and Sean Combs are only in the move for a brief time, their impact is felt throughout the rest of the film.

So, like I said, fantastic ensemble acting. I'm not going to lie, this film is brutal. Explicit violence, racism, and sex are everywhere, making this hard to watch at some places. However, how the characters deal with all of these situations is what makes watching those scenes worth it.

The directing in this movie is also really well done. The way the execution and time leading up to it was shot was haunting, which is a good description for other sections of the movie. Overall, a fantastic movie, but not one to watch with the kids or your grandma.