Monsters Ball The Movie

Monsters Ball the movie is a romance drama written by Milo Addica and Will Rokos, directed by Marc Forster and filmed entirely in Louisiana between May and June 2001 for an estimated budget of $4,000,000 and released on December 26th, 2001. Monsters Ball the movie grossed over $31,000,000 during its United States theatre run. Monsters Ball the movie as a whole was nominated for 26 different awards and was presented with 11 of them. Halle Berry, who portrayed Leticia Musgrove in Monsters Ball the movie received the 2002 Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role as well as the 2002 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role. Billy Bob Thornton, who portrayed Hank Grotowski also won 2 awards for best actor. Although Heath Ledger was not nominated for any awards, fans and critics alike have highly praised his portrayal of Sonny Grotowski as the most memorable performance in the movie. Monsters Ball the movie was subsequently released on DVD on June 11th, 2002 and an uncut version was released on February 18, 2003 with the over title heading, Lions Gate Signature Series.

Monsters Ball the movie is the story of prison guard Hank Grotowski, who works on Death Row with his son, Sonny Grotowski. The two men live together in a home in Louisiana with Hank's former prison guard racist father Buck Grotowski, portrayed by Peter Boyle. As Hank and Sonny are making the final walk with convicted murderer Lawrence Musgrove, portrayed by Sean Combs, the knowledge that the man is about to die proves to be too much for Sonny who begins to vomit, which enrages his father. After a confrontation at home between father and son, Hank decides to quit his job and burns his uniform.

Prior to his execution and throughout his incarceration, Lawrence's wife Leticia Musgrove, portrayed by Halle Berry has been struggling to raise their son, Tyrell, portrayed by Coronji Calhoun, alone and by working at a late night coffee shop that Hank frequents. Late one night, Leticia and Tyrell are walking down the highway during a rainstorm and a passing car strikes Tyrell. Leticia is left alone by the side of the road holding her son and calling out for assistance. Hank happens to be driving by and sees Leticia, and although he initially drives by, he eventually goes back and drives them to a hospital.

Tyrell ends up succumbing to his injuries, and Hank takes the mourning Leticia home where the two form an unexpected bond because of the death of Tyrell and the confrontation that Hank had with his own son. They begin an affair, which is initially based on sex and to avoid loneliness, but later evolves into much more. During there time together Hank discovers that Leticia is Lawrence's widow, but because he has since fallen in love with her, he chooses not to tell her that he participated in her husband's execution. Upon learning of Hank and Leticia's relationship Buck Grotowski starts hurling racial insults at her and in another father and son confrontation Hank realises his anger stems from his fathers behaviour towards him and sends him to a nursing home but not before Leticia uncovers Hank's involvement in her husband's death.