2/12/2002
Monster's Ball stars Billy Bob Thornton as Hank Grotowski, Halle Berry as Leticia Musgrove, Peter Boyle as Buck Grotowski, Heath Ledger as Sonny Grotowski, Sean 'Puffy' Combs as Lawrence Musgrove, Dante Beze as Ryrus Cooper, Coronji Calhoun as Tyrell Musgrove, Taylor Simpson as Lucille, Gabrielle Witcher as Betty, Amber Rules as Vera, Charles Cowan Jr. as Willie Cooper, Taylor Lagrange as Darryl Cooper, Anthony Bean as Dappa Smith, Francine Segal as Georgia Ann Paynes, John McConnell as Harvey Shoonmaker.
Monster's Ball is a story about a family where 3 generations of the men work as prison guards in Georgia. The ailing retired father, Buck, lives with his son, Hank Grotowski, and grandson, Sonny. The wives are either dead or missing from the film. The anti- black sentiments of the family range from liberal, Sonny, to bigot, Buck. There is a sense of family, only to the point of recognizing and respecting their genealogy. Love or even friendship is missing in the Grotowski house.
Monster's Ball starts with the execution rehearsal for Lawrence Musgrove. Hank and Sonny are two major participants in the execution stage play. A dispute over the way Sonny reacts during the execution results in an argument with Hank, and Sonny's suicide. As Leticia's life changes by her husband's execution, Hank's life also makes a major turn. Hank quits his job. Leticia is being evicted, not able to earn enough money to properly care for her son or car. When the car quits she and Tyrell must walk. One rainy evening as Leticia and Tyrell walk home, Tyrell is hit by a car. Hank is driving along the road and reluctantly stops to help.
This event is the crossroads in both their lives.
Monster's Ball is not your typical inter-racial story of bigotry. It is a story about learning to love again. It is a very slow paced story, with long visuals and montages. I found them not to have the impact that I assume the filmmaker intended. Instead, It was much like watching paint dry. The acting in this film is superb. The dialog is very sparse, therefore, good acting must carry this film.
I give it 2 out of 5 spray cleaners: 