Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

Monster

  • 20032003
  • RR
  • 1h 49m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
150K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,155
98
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Christina Ricci and Charlize Theron in Monster (2003)
Trailer for Monster
Play trailer2:15
5 Videos
63 Photos
  • Biography
  • Crime
  • Drama

Based on the life of Aileen Wuornos, a Daytona Beach prostitute who became a serial killer.Based on the life of Aileen Wuornos, a Daytona Beach prostitute who became a serial killer.Based on the life of Aileen Wuornos, a Daytona Beach prostitute who became a serial killer.

IMDb RATING
7.3/10
150K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,155
98
  • Director
    • Patty Jenkins
  • Writer
    • Patty Jenkins
  • Stars
    • Charlize Theron
    • Christina Ricci
    • Bruce Dern
Top credits
  • Director
    • Patty Jenkins
  • Writer
    • Patty Jenkins
  • Stars
    • Charlize Theron
    • Christina Ricci
    • Bruce Dern
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 608User reviews
    • 190Critic reviews
    • 74Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 30 wins & 26 nominations total

    Videos5

    Monster
    Trailer 2:15
    Monster
    Monster
    Trailer 2:15
    Monster
    A Guide to the Films of Patty Jenkins
    Clip 1:25
    A Guide to the Films of Patty Jenkins
    The Rise of Charlize Theron
    Clip 4:34
    The Rise of Charlize Theron
    Which Roles Did Charlize Theron Turn Down?
    Video 2:34
    Which Roles Did Charlize Theron Turn Down?

    Photos63

    Charlize Theron in Monster (2003)
    Bruce Dern in Monster (2003)
    Charlize Theron and Patty Jenkins in Monster (2003)
    Charlize Theron and Patty Jenkins in Monster (2003)
    Christina Ricci and Charlize Theron in Monster (2003)
    Charlize Theron and Patty Jenkins in Monster (2003)
    Charlize Theron, Bruce Dern, and Patty Jenkins in Monster (2003)
    Christina Ricci and Charlize Theron in Monster (2003)
    Charlize Theron in Monster (2003)
    Charlize Theron in Monster (2003)
    Charlize Theron at an event for Monster (2003)
    Charlize Theron at an event for Monster (2003)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Charlize Theron
    Charlize Theron
    • Aileenas Aileen
    Christina Ricci
    Christina Ricci
    • Selbyas Selby
    Bruce Dern
    Bruce Dern
    • Thomasas Thomas
    Lee Tergesen
    Lee Tergesen
    • Vincent Coreyas Vincent Corey
    Annie Corley
    Annie Corley
    • Donnaas Donna
    Pruitt Taylor Vince
    Pruitt Taylor Vince
    • Geneas Gene…
    Marco St. John
    Marco St. John
    • Evanas Evan…
    Marc Macaulay
    Marc Macaulay
    • Willas Will…
    Scott Wilson
    Scott Wilson
    • Hortonas Horton…
    Rus Blackwell
    Rus Blackwell
    • Copas Cop
    Tim Ware
    Tim Ware
    • Chuckas Chuck
    Stephan Jones
    Stephan Jones
    • Lawyeras Lawyer
    Brett Rice
    Brett Rice
    • Charlesas Charles
    Kaitlin Riley
    • Teenage Aileenas Teenage Aileen
    Cree Ivey
    • 7-Year-Old Aileenas 7-Year-Old Aileen
    Catherine Mangan
    Catherine Mangan
    • Justyas Justy
    Magdalena Manville
    • Bar Lap Girlas Bar Lap Girl
    T. Robert Pigott
    • Bartenderas Bartender
    • Director
      • Patty Jenkins
    • Writer
      • Patty Jenkins
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    More like this

    Boys Don't Cry
    7.5
    Boys Don't Cry
    Monster's Ball
    7.1
    Monster's Ball
    Girl, Interrupted
    7.3
    Girl, Interrupted
    North Country
    7.3
    North Country
    Monster
    8.7
    Monster
    Tully
    6.9
    Tully
    The Cider House Rules
    7.4
    The Cider House Rules
    Monster
    6.5
    Monster
    Aileen Wuornos: Selling of a Serial Killer
    6.9
    Aileen Wuornos: Selling of a Serial Killer
    Precious
    7.3
    Precious
    Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman
    3.6
    Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman
    Black Snake Moan
    6.9
    Black Snake Moan

    Storyline

    Edit
    The true story of serial killer Aileen Wuornos who was convicted of luring men to their death and eventually executed in 2002. In 1989, she was working as a prostitute and finally makes a friend when she meets and begins a relationship with a young woman, Selby. Determined to straighten out her life, she tries to find legitimate work but with little education and limited social skills, she fails at every turn. She starts working as a hooker hitching rides along the local interstate highway and after robbing a few clients has an encounter with a vicious client whom she kills in self-defense. After that however she just takes to killing clients taking their money and car. Once arrested she claims self-defense but is eventually convicted. —garykmcd
    • prostitute
    • female serial killer
    • lesbian
    • borderline personality disorder
    • serial killer
    • 239 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • The first female serial killer of America
    • Genres
      • Biography
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Thriller
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for strong violence and sexual content, and for pervasive language
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Aileen Wuornos, a notoriously uncooperative person, gave writer and director Patty Jenkins access to hundreds of letters she had written and received in order to gain insight into Aileen's life.
    • Goofs
      When Lee talks to Selby on the phone, her brown contact lens move, revealing Charlize Theron's green eyes.
    • Quotes

      Aileen: "Love conquers all." "Every cloud has a silver lining." "Faith can move mountains." "Love will always find a way." "Everything happens for a reason." "Where there is life, there is hope."

      [laughs]

      Aileen: Oh, well... They gotta tell you somethin'

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: The Best Films of 2003 (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      All She Wants Is
      Written by Nick Rhodes (as Nicholas James Bates), John Taylor (as John Nigel Taylor)

      Performed by Duran Duran

      Courtesy of Capitol Records

      Used by Permission of Colgems-EMI Music Inc./EMI Music Publishing Ltd.

    User reviews608

    Review
    Top review
    Grim Portrait Of A Sad, Wasted Life
    Let me begin by saying that Charlize Theron gives the best female performance that I have ever seen on film. Theron deservedly won the Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos. I can not recall a performance, male or female, with such raw intensity. For those who may not know, MONSTER is the true story of Aileen Wuornos, a Florida prostitute who was executed a couple of years ago for killing men that picked her up on the highway. However, this is much, much more than a deranged serial killer flick. This film shows us, very convincingly, how a person can be led to a life of violence. Aileen had an awful childhood and an awful life. She was molested as a child by her father as well as other male relatives. As a child, she was surrounded by abuse, drug addiction, and domestic violence. Men horribly abused her as a child, and she began prostituting at age thirteen. In her later years, Aileen became a prostitute because it had been grilled into her head all her life that she was just a whore. As MONSTER opens, Aileen's car breaks down and she wanders into what she doesn't know is a gay bar. Sitting alone at a table is lonely, confused lesbian Selby (Christina Ricci), who strikes up a conversation with the dirty, unkempt Aileen, who washes her hair in gas station sinks and uses the hand dryer to fix her hair. After many drinks, Aileen and Selby become close, and soon enter into an unhealthy, torrid, tragic love affair. Selby is naive and has always been sheltered, and she just wants genuine love. However, Aileen has issues that Selby doesn't see at first. There is certainly nothing positive or redeeming about serial killers, but you often feel yourself having a small bit of sympathy for Aileen because you realize why she kills the men who pick her up...SHE HATES MEN. Aileen has always hated men, and the only love scenes in which any tenderness and emotion is shown are the lesbian love scenes between Aileen and Selby. You also feel some sorrow for Aileen because she DOES want to improve herself, but has no way of knowing how to do so. There are scenes where Aileen applies for jobs because she really wants to do right, but she is always rejected. She applies for secretarial jobs at law offices and is laughed right out of the building while she curses and screams at everyone. She doesn't know any better because she has no social skills. In one of the most powerful scenes, Aileen is hitch hiking and is picked up by a genuinely nice man who offers to help her. He is sincere and doesn't want sex. He is a decent man who offers a helping hand, but Aileen just can not trust any man. She tells him she doesn't want to kill him, but because her previous killings are all over the news, she has to kill him so she won't be identified. Selby, meanwhile, learns of Aileen's murderous rampage and tearfully decides to go to the authorities. What makes this film so powerful is that this is A TRUE STORY. Aileen Wuornos had a miserable life. Life dealt her a s@@@@y hand. She never had a chance. Growing up, nobody....teachers, parents, relatives....reached out to her. You can't excuse a serial killer rampage, but this is the only "serial killer" film that I have seen that at least offers some reasoning behind the insanity. Again, this is intense, and Charlize Theron is AMAZING.
    helpful•20
    3
    • robc-11
    • Jun 24, 2004

    FAQ13

    • Is "Monster" based on a book?
    • Are there any books written about Aileen Wuornos?
    • How many men did Aileen Wuornos murder?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 30, 2004 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Germany
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Quái Vật
    • Filming locations
      • Daytona Beach, Florida, USA
    • Production companies
      • Media 8 Entertainment
      • Newmarket Films
      • DEJ Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $8,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $34,469,210
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $86,831
      • Dec 28, 2003
    • Gross worldwide
      • $58,469,210
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 49 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    ‘WandaVision’ Director Matt Shakman to Direct First 2 Episodes of Godzilla Series for AppleTV+
    ‘WandaVision’ Director Matt Shakman to Direct First 2 Episodes of Godzilla Series for AppleTV+
    May 19The Wrap
    Turning Searching Into More Than A Short Film Was A Tough Job To Tackle
    Turning Searching Into More Than A Short Film Was A Tough Job To Tackle
    May 19Slash Film

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Christina Ricci and Charlize Theron in Monster (2003)
    Top Gap
    What is the Hindi language plot outline for Monster (2003)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in May
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    2022 TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.