Taglines: A lifetime of change can happen in a single moment.
Monster’s Ball movie storyline. Hank Grotowski (Billy Bob Thornton), a widower, and his son, Sonny (Heath Ledger), are correctional officers in the local prison. They reside in Louisiana with Hank’s ailing father, Buck (Peter Boyle), an unwavering racist whose wife had committed suicide. Hank’s hateful attitude towards others, strongly influenced by his father Buck, results in Hank’s hatred of his father, his son, and members of the neighboring community.
As Hank and Sonny assist in the execution of convicted murderer Lawrence Musgrove (Sean “Diddy” Combs), the proceedings prove too intense for Sonny, who begins to vomit as he is leading Lawrence to the electric chair. Some time later, Hank drags Sonny out of bed and tells him to get out of the house. Unable to cope with the estrangement, Sonny grabs a gun.
The confrontation ends in their living room with Hank at gunpoint, lying on the carpet, and Sonny in his grandfather’s customary chair. Sonny asks his father, “You hate me, don’t you?” After his father calmly confirms that he does and says he always has, Sonny responds, “Well, I always loved you,” and then kills himself. Hank subsequently buries his son, quits his job at the prison, burns his uniform in the backyard, and locks the door of Sonny’s room up tightly. Buck calls him a quitter.
Monster’s Ball is a 2001 American drama film directed by German-Swiss director Marc Forster and starring Billy Bob Thornton, Halle Berry, Heath Ledger, Peter Boyle, Sean Combs, Mos Def, Will Rokos and Milo Addica. The film, originally set to star Vanessa Williams, tells the story of a widowed corrections officer, his adult son, and his bigoted (and also widowed) father, all of whom work in the same profession. The main character befriends, and then starts a relationship with, a woman whom he does not at first realize is the widowed wife of a man that he executed as part of his job.
Monster’s Ball (2001)
Directed by: Mark Forster
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Halle Berry, Peter Boyle, Heath Ledger, Sean Combs, Dante Beze, Coronji Calhoun, Gabrielle Witcher, Taylor Simpson, Leah Loftin
Screenplay by: Milo Addica, Will Rokos
Cinematography by: Monroe Kelly
Film Editing by: Matt Chesse
Costume Design by: Frank I. Fleming
Set Decoration by: Leonard R. Spears
Art Direction by: Leonard R. Spears
Music by: Asche & Spencer, Chris Beaty
MPAA Rating: R for strong sexual content, language and violence.
Distributed by: Lionsgate Films
Release Date: February 8, 2002
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