Monster's Ball (2001)

After a family tragedy, a racist prison guard reexamines his attitudes while falling in love with the African American wife of the last prisoner he executed.

Director:

Marc Forster

Writers:

Milo Addica, Will Rokos

Stars:

Billy Bob Thornton, Halle Berry, Taylor Simpson

Won 1 Oscar. Another 14 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Hank Grotowski
Halle Berry	...	Leticia Musgrove
Taylor Simpson	...	Lucille
Gabrielle Witcher	...	Betty
Heath Ledger	...	Sonny Grotowski
Amber Rules	...	Vera
Peter Boyle	...	Buck Grotowski
Charles Cowan Jr.	...	Willie Cooper
Taylor LaGrange	...	Darryl Cooper
Mos Def	...	Ryrus Cooper
Anthony Bean	...	Dappa Smith
Francine Segal	...	Georgia Ann Paynes
John McConnell	...	Harvey Shoonmaker
Marcus Lyle Brown	...	Phil Huggins
Milo Addica	...	Tommy Roulaine

Storyline

Set in the Southern United States, 'Monster's Ball' is a tale of a racist white man, Hank, who falls in love with a black woman named Leticia. Ironically Hank is a prison guard working on Death Row who executed Leticia's husband. Hank and Leticia's interracial affair leads to confusion and new ideas for the two unlikely lovers.

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Plot Keywords:

love | prison | racist | black woman | prison guard | 

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Taglines:

A lifetime of change can happen in a single moment.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexual content, language and violence

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 February 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

El pasado nos condena

Filming Locations:

Laplace, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£486,017 (UK) (7 June 2002)

Gross:

£2,267,433 (UK) (19 July 2002)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lee Daniels Entertainment, Lions Gate Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min 112 min (unrated director's cut)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The gas station Hank buys is initially called Clement's and he tells Leticia it is on Prospect Street. Clements and Prospect are two neighboring streets in North Vancouver, BC Canada, where Lions Gate Studios are located.

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Goofs

Credits list special thanks to Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, Georgia (not Louisiana).

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Quotes

Hank Grotowski: I went by our station on the way home... I like that sign. I think we're gonna be alright.

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Crazy Credits

Thanks to Sam, Austin, Gabrielle. Scott Lambert is thanked twice.

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Connections

Referenced in Six Feet Under: Grinding the Corn (2004)

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Soundtracks

" (I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden"
(1968)
Performed by Lynn Anderson
Written by Joe South
Published by Sony/ATV Songs LLC (BMI)
Courtesy of Columbia Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

A very human tale of redemption

"Monster's Ball" tells of a white man and a black woman in the rural South coming together through desperate human need; each suffering grief, guilt, remorse, and misery. A slow, plodding drama with rumbling racial undercurrents, the film tells a simple story, though not uneventful, with finely nuanced performances, especially by Berry who earned her keep and kudos. Recommended for mature audiences into serious drama.