Monster's Ball
Seen it?2001 | 113 min | Drama, Romance
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It won an Oscar, it earned strong reviews (85% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it made about 11 times its budget. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for romantics. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Warm and romantic.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 53 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
A prison guard begins a tentative romance with the unsuspecting widow of a man whose execution he presided over.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
85% on Rotten Tomatoes, 69 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.8 out of 10
- AwardsVery strong
Won 1 Oscar: Academy Awards: Best Actress. Won 1 SAG Award: Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role. Won 1 Berlin award: Berlin International Film Festival: Best Actress. Won 1 Independent Spirit Award: Independent Spirit Awards: Outstanding Foreign Language Film. Also nominated for 1 more Oscar, 1 Golden Globe and 1 BAFTA. Plus 10 other awards.
- Box office & staying powerStrong
$45 million worldwide on a $4 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 443K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
Jungle Fever
Sunday Safe BetAnother drama, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
Queen & Slim Sunday Safe BetAnother drama, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
Newness
Weeknight WatchAnother romance, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Fifty Shades Darker Weeknight WatchAnother drama, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Unfaithful Sunday Safe BetAnother drama, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Marc Forster
- Billy Bob ThorntonHank Grotowski
- Heath LedgerSonny Grotowski
- Halle BerryLeticia Musgrove
- Sean CombsLawrence Musgrove
- Yasiin BeyRyrus Cooper
- Will RokosWarden Velesco
- Milo AddicaTommy Roulaine
- Coronji CalhounTyrell Musgrove
- Peter BoyleBuck Grotowski
- Taylor SimpsonLucille