Monster's Ball facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Monster's Ball |
|
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster
|
|
| Directed by | Marc Forster |
| Produced by | Lee Daniels |
| Written by | Milo Addica Will Rokos |
| Starring | Billy Bob Thornton Heath Ledger Halle Berry Sean Combs Mos Def Will Rokos Milo Addica Peter Boyle |
| Music by | Asche and Spencer |
| Cinematography | Roberto Schaefer |
| Editing by | Matt Chesse |
| Studio | Lee Daniels Entertainment |
| Distributed by | Lionsgate Films |
| Release date(s) | November 11, 2001 (AFI Fest) December 26, 2001 (Los Angeles and New York City) February 8, 2002 (United States) |
| Running time | 111 minutes 112 minutes (Unrated) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $4 million |
| Money made | $45 million |
Monster's Ball is a 2001 American drama film. It was directed by Marc Forster and produced by Lee Daniels. The story was written by Milo Addica and Will Rokos. They also appear in the film. The main actors are Billy Bob Thornton, Heath Ledger, Halle Berry, and Peter Boyle. Other actors include Sean Combs, Mos Def, and Coronji Calhoun.
The film is about a man named Hank. He works in a prison. He starts a relationship with a woman named Leticia. Hank does not know that Leticia is the wife of a man he helped with a very serious punishment. The movie was filmed in New Orleans, Louisiana in May 2001. Filming lasted for five weeks.
Monster's Ball was first shown at AFI Fest on November 11, 2001. It came out in movie theaters in the United States on February 8, 2002. Lionsgate Films released the movie. The film got many good reviews. People especially praised the acting by Halle Berry, Heath Ledger, and Billy Bob Thornton. They also liked the directing and the story. The movie was very successful. It earned $44.9 million around the world. Its budget was only $4 million.
The film won many awards and was nominated for others. It was nominated for two 74th Academy Awards. These were for Best Actress (Halle Berry) and Original Screenplay. Halle Berry won the award for Best Actress. She became the first African-American woman to win this award.
Contents
Story of Monster's Ball
The film tells the story of Hank Grotowski. He is a man who lost his wife. Hank and his son, Sonny, work in a prison in Georgia. They live with Hank's father, Buck. Buck is a retired prison worker with old-fashioned views. Sonny is friends with two brothers, Willie and Darryl, who are black. Buck does not like this. Hank scares the brothers away. Their father, Ryrus, later talks to Hank about it.
Hank is a leader at the prison. He is in charge of a serious event for a man named Lawrence Musgrove. Lawrence is a talented artist. He draws a picture of Sonny. Sonny is a quiet and kind person. He treats Lawrence with respect.
A Difficult Night
The night before the serious event, Hank tells Sonny about a "monster's ball." This is a gathering for the prison workers involved. The event is very hard for Sonny. As he walks Lawrence to the special room, Sonny gets sick and faints. After the event, Hank gets angry at Sonny. He hits Sonny for being too "soft."
The next morning, Hank tells Sonny to leave the house. Sonny holds a gun. The argument ends with Hank on the floor. Sonny asks if his father hates him. Hank says yes. Sonny then passes away in a tragic accident.
Life Changes for Hank
Hank is very sad. He buries Sonny in the backyard. Buck says it is a short funeral because Sonny was "weak." Hank then quits his job at the prison. He burns his uniform. He locks Sonny's room. Hank buys a gas station to keep busy. The Cooper brothers offer their sympathy to Hank. Hank asks which one is Willie and calls Darryl "Harry." They gently correct him.
Lawrence's wife, Leticia, has been struggling. She has been raising their son, Tyrell. Tyrell is also good at art, like his father. Leticia is very stressed. She is sometimes harsh with Tyrell because he is overweight. She also has money problems. She gets a notice that she might lose her home. Leticia gets a job at a diner where Hank often eats. Her car breaks down. So, Leticia and Tyrell have to walk everywhere.
A New Connection
One rainy night, Leticia and Tyrell are walking. Hank is driving and sees Tyrell badly hurt on the ground. Leticia is calling for help. Hank stops and drives them to the hospital. Tyrell dies from his injuries. Hank drives Leticia home. A few days later, Hank gives Leticia another ride. They talk about losing loved ones. She invites him inside. Hank learns that Leticia is Lawrence's wife. He does not tell her that he was involved in Lawrence's serious punishment.
Hank takes Sonny's old truck to Ryrus's auto shop. He wants to sell the truck. He asks if Ryrus's sons can clean it. Then, Hank offers the truck to Leticia. She does not want to take it at first, but then accepts.
Leticia visits Hank's home with a gift. Hank is not there. She meets Buck, Hank's father. Buck says unkind things to her. Leticia is upset and does not want to see Hank. When Hank finds out what Buck did, he moves his father to a nursing home. Hank renames his gas station "Leticia's." He tells people it is his girlfriend's name.
Leticia loses her home. Hank invites her to live with him. Later, Leticia finds drawings Lawrence made of Sonny and Hank. She realizes Hank was involved in her husband's death. She is very upset. But she is also numb from all the sadness. When Hank comes home with ice cream, she is waiting for him. The film ends with them eating ice cream together. Hank says he thinks they will be okay.
Main Actors
- Billy Bob Thornton plays Hank Grotowski.
- Halle Berry plays Leticia Musgrove.
- Heath Ledger plays Sonny Grotowski.
- Peter Boyle plays Buck Grotowski.
- Coronji Calhoun plays Tyrell Musgrove.
- Sean Combs plays Lawrence Musgrove.
- Mos Def plays Ryrus Cooper.
- Charles Cowan Jr. plays Willie Cooper.
- Taylor LaGrange plays Darryl Cooper.
Filming the Movie
The main filming started in May 2001. It took place in New Orleans, Louisiana. Filming lasted for five weeks. A week before filming began, Sean Combs tried out for the role of Lawrence Musgrove and got the part. Some parts of the movie were filmed inside a real prison. This was the Louisiana State Penitentiary. They filmed in prison cells and other areas for a week.
See also
In Spanish: Monster's Ball para niños
