Starring Billy Bob Thorton, Halle Berry, Heath Ledger, Peter Boyle, Sean Combs,
Dante Beze, Coronji Calhoun, Amber Rules, Taylor Simpson, Gabrielle Witcher, Marcus Lyle Brown.
Directed by Marc Forster.
Hank Growtowski (Thorton) is a widower living in a southern Georgia town. He is a warden
at the State Pen, and runs death row. His son Sonny (Ledger) works under him, and both
have followed in the footsteps of Hank's father Buck (Boyle). Buck is a mean, unforgiving
man, contempuous of what he perceives as weakness. Hank has picked up several of Daddy's
bad habits, including a southern-bred strain of rascist hatred towards black people.
Currently on death row is an African-American inmate Lawrence Musgrove (Combs) who
is being prepared to die. His angry wife Leticia (Berry) visits him one last time
with their distraught over-weight young son Tyrell (Calhoun). Sonny can't help but
like and get to know him, and can't control his feelings as he's being led to the chair.
Hank explodes and wants his "weak" son out of the house. Sonny leaves for good. Shortly
thereafter, Leticia's son is hit by a car on a rainy night while walking home. Hank is
driving and reluctantly picks him and Leticia up to take them to the hospital. Soon
after, Hank and Leticia begin a relationship together. Both want to make a fresh
start to escape their past - Hank quits his job and buys a gas station to run, and
Leticia begins working in a new restaurant. She remains unaware that Hank was involved
in the execution of her husband.
Monster's Ball is one of the best acted and moving films of the year. Covering
some of the same small-town, behind-the-bedroom-door family life territory as the excellent
In The Bedroom, on paper the plot sounds implausible and likely to be milked
for manipulative sentiment. But nothing is hurried or forced, and the plot unfolds
not as something contrived but as entirely reasonable actions by grieving people striving
to find purpose in their lives. The sex-scenes are as raw and intense as any you will
see, but they expertly convey the hunger that both crave for relief of their loneliness
and unhappiness.
One of the chief strengths of the film is in the gradual, non-sentimental way in which
the characters evolve. Hank has closed himself off from the world for so long - he
has no love for his son, he works not to feel for those he has to send to death row,
he has lived under the unfeeling rule of his father and is forced to take care of him
as he slowly deteriorates. He goes through life with no joy or happiness, but with
a sense of duty instilled in him by his father to act like a man. The understated
manner in which Hank discovers love and begins to interract with his black neighbours
is a beautiful thing to watch.
The other key strength of the film is in the exceptional performances. The heart of
the film is Billy Bob Thorton's Hank, and he acts entirely from within. He shows virtually
no emotion, but consistently projects Hank's inner turmoil, anger and newly found need
to love and be loved. Halle Berry has never ever been better, demonstrating intensity
and feelings that are amazing to watch. In support, Peter Boyle is simply outstanding
as the manipulative, rascist, old-school tyrant who is given some of the best and most
devastating lines. All three could and should be nominated for Oscars. Young Australian
star Heath Ledger is almost unrecognizable and quite memorable and even Sean "Puffy" Combs
is solid as the sensitive cop-killer death row inmate.
Monster's Ball is the kind of film that continually surprises as it unfolds, and the
surprises are all good. I look forward to seeing it again. Make an effort to find
it and see it, it is outstanding.
 
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