Movie Breakdown: Monster

Pre-Screening Stance:

Monster looks like it’s going to be a real soul crusher, so I guess I’ll pour myself a big whiskey before hitting play on the screener. On another note, it’s a little wild that this film premiered at Sundance all the way back in 2018 and is just now getting released. Hopefully that’s not a bad sign.

Post-Screening Ramble:

Monster isn’t exactly what I would call an “enjoyable” film, but I did like it. The plot here is pretty simple – it follows Steve Harmon (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), a 17 year-old who is on trial for murder. I was honestly expecting a pretty run-of-the-mill courtroom drama, but director Anthony Mandler shifts around the timeline and wisely shows the entire thing from Steve’s perspective. So, while the court proceedings are important, they exist as more of a frame for Steve as he reflects on his life, his passions and interests, and the men – King (A$AP Rocky) and Bobo (John David Washington) – who would eventually pull him into the crime that would derail it all. It’s definitely a more intimate, singular approach, and it was nice to see this in place of the sweeping courtroom scenes that usually drive these sort of films. And sure, this decidedly quiet perspective does let Monster skew a little too heady and artsy at times, but I didn’t find these moments to be too much of a distraction. Again, this is a good film.

If you’re on the hunt for a compelling story with quality performances, then you should check out Monster when it hits Netflix this Friday, May 7.

One Last Thought:

While I was browsing around and looking at different things about this film, I came across a comment that said Kelvin Harrison Jr. would be a great fit for a live action Miles Morales movie, and I totally agree. Let’s make it happen.