Monster's Ball (2001) - Performances ignite Forster's heavy drama

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Three stars in different dimensions, praise from Roger Ebert and a sundown color scheme is used on this gritty poster for Marc Forster's Monster's Ball

A correctional officer at death row in a Georgia prison is readying his son to facilitate his first execution, following in his father's footsteps. But although it takes place, other things go awry, and the man re-evaluates his life, meanwhile he begins a relationship with the widow of an executed prisoner.

 

Monster's Ball is written by Milo Addica (Birth (2004)) and Will Rokos (Shadowboxer (2005)) and directed by great German-American filmmaker Marc Forster (Loungers (1995)). The title refers to a get-together that corrections officers and a prisoner about to be executed arrange on the night before the death sentence is carried out.

Thematically heavily loaded (executions, guilt, shame, abuse, racism and suicide), this serious drama moves forward thanks to fine performances from Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs (A Raisin in the Sun (2008, TV movie)), Billy Bob Thornton (Chrystal (2004)), Halle Berry (X-Men (2000)), Coronji Calhoun as Berry's son Tyrell, and Peter Boyle (Sweet Evil (1996)) as Thornton's racist father. The 'lump of sugar' that the film offers up to counter its depressing scenarios, is erotica that liven up scenes between Thornton and Berry, although I won't rule out that there are also instances of Oscar-bait overacting and exaggerations here and there.

Monster's Ball is a film about survival, riding with the waves and continuing life, when it gets dark and paradoxical. It is a fine film.

 

Related posts:

Marc Forster: 2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV] 2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
World War Z (2013) - Forster, Pitt and Co.'s preposterous zombie junk  

Machine Gun Preacher (2011) - Butler finds faith and a Sudanese purpose in Forster's incredible true story

2004 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

Finding Neverland (2004) - Forster and an inspired cast strike gold with story of Peter Pan's creation 

Halle Berry talks to Roger Ebert about the film in a 2-minute video here 

 

Cost: 4 mil. $

Box office: 45 mil. $

= Mega-hit (returned 11.25 times its cost)

[Monster's Ball premiered 11 November (AFI Fest, USA) and runs 111 minutes. Addica and Rokos wrote the screenplay in 1995, inspired by their difficult relationships with their fathers. Shooting took 5 weeks from May - June 2000 in Louisiana. Berry was reportedly paid 600k $ for her performance. The film opened #29 to a 110k $ first weekend in 7 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #12 and in 676 theaters (different weeks), grossing 31.2 mil. $ (69.3 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 3.5 mil. $ (7.8 %) and Australia with 1 mil. $ (2.2 %). The film was nominated for 2 Oscars: Best Original Screenplay, lost to Julian Fellowes for Gosford Park, and Best Actress (Berry), which she won. The film was also nominated for a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, 2 AFI awards, won a prize in Berlin, was nominated for an Independent Spirit award, won 3 National Board of Review awards and several other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 4/4 star review, translating to 2 notches higher than this one. Forster returned with Finding Neverland (2004). Thornton returned in CatDog: The Great Parent Mystery (2001, TV movie), Billy Bob Thornton: Angelina (2001, music video) and theatrically in The Badge (2002); Berry in The Bernie Mac Show (2002, TV-series) and theatrically in Die Another Day (2002); and Heath Ledger (Paws (1997)) in The Four Feathers (2002). Monster's Ball is certified fresh at 85 % with a 7.34/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Monster's Ball?

Get Him to the Greek (2010) - Brand and Hill light up Stoller's funny music biz satire

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The two stars are primed to sell Nicholas Stoller's Get Him to the Greek

Jonah Hill (Moneyball (2011)) plays a guy who works for record executive Sergio (Sean Combs (Draft Day (2014)) is surprisingly good in the part) and who gets an idea: He wants to stage a revival concert for British rock star Aldous Snow at the Greek Theatre in LA. The problem becomes how to get the unruly star from London to the gig in 72 hours.

The idea of master writer-director Nicholas Stoller's (Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)) movie here is funny. The film features a serious satire of the music business, which isn't funny enough, especially in its first half hour, which lags. 
But the tone is adroit throughout, and especially the city scenes with Hill and Russell Brand (Arthur (2011)), who returns as the character from Forgetting Sarah Marshall, are amusing. Elisabeth Moss (A Buddy Story (2010)) does well in a supporting role, SPOILER especially in the threesome scene. It is a shame that Brand's rock songs just don't play well, and they shouldn't have been featured in my opinion. The sentimental ending for Hill's character is also contrived.
Still, Get Him to the Greek is an entertaining comedy.

Related review:
 
Nicholas Stoller: The Muppets (2011) or, Man or Muppet? (co-writer)

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 40 mil. $
Box office: 91.2 mil. $
= Flop
[Get Him to the Greek was released June 4 and runs 109 minutes. The film was already announced as a spin-off to Forgetting Sarah Marshall a week after that film's release. Filming took place in London, New York, California and Las Vegas. The film opened #2, behind Shrek Forever After, to a 17.5 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it grossed 60.9 mil. $ (66.8 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 10.9 mil. $ (12 %) and Australia with 8.4 mil. $ (9.2 %). Get Him to the Greek is certified fresh at 72 % with a 6.3 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Get Him to the Greek?