2001 - United States - 111 minutes

Writers - Milo Addica and Will Rokos

Director - Marc Forster

Internet Movie Database User Rating - 7.2/10 - Link to IMDB

Roger Ebert Rating - 4 of 4 Stars - Link to Ebert's Review

My Rating - 5 of 5 Stars

It is unbelievable to me that so many excellent scenes could be packed into less than two hours of film. You get to observe the metamorphosis of a man (Billy Bob Thornton) who has been a prisoner of a tradition of hate and prejudice to a man who is able to view his past actions for what they actually were.

Peter Boyle plays a man so filled with hate that there is no chance of redemption. Some of you might be interested in seeing the 1970 film Joe in which Boyle plays basically the same character as a much younger man.

Coronji Calhoun who plays the son gets little mention in reviews but gives a heart wrenching performance of a little boy who is one of society's outcasts.

Anyone who questions whether Halle Berry should have been awarded the Oscar for her performance in Monster's Ball only needs to watch her face during the final scene of the movie. We are able to see her entire life to that point portrayed through her expressions. That one scene was enough for the Oscar. Now add all of her other scenes in the film. How could she not be given the award?

Neil Turner

June 12, 2002

Monster's Ball