MovieChat Forums > Monster's Ball (2002) Discussion > Amazing film....... but (spoilers)

Amazing film....... but (spoilers)

posted 15 years ago by michaeldecker
3 replies | jump to latest

Just amazing, and I can't figure out how I missed it/ignored it when it came out. I think the title misled me into thinking it was some kind of slapstick college comedy...

But one thing left me cold - she must have known he worked in corrections, because they spent a lot of time together before he realised who she was and they would have had the conversation fairly early on, wouldn't they?

It's therefore inconceivable that she wouldn't have volunteered the fact that her husband had just been executed at the very same prison he worked at. While of course that would have destroyed one of the keystones of the film, it was disappointing that the script didn't handle this better.

[–] alohahome 15 years ago

It appears that Halle knew Hank only as a gas station owner, not a corrections officer, of which he was a supervisor. He would not have had contact with visitors to all of the inmates of which he was in charge.
A death row supervising officer in charge of executions would not handle the visiting room duties.
Hank quit his job after his son killed himself, which was before he even met Halle.
When Halle invited Hank in for a drink, he was shown drawings done by her husband that she named as Lawrence, and Hank learns for the first time who she is. The reaction on his face shows this.

[–] michaeldecker 15 years ago

I think that's a stretch - he hadn't even renamed the place and painted the sign, so it's inconceivable they wouldn't have had the conversation about what he did before as it was obvious it was a new venture.

It's also fairly inconceivable that she wouldn't have mentioned fairly early on that her husband had just been executed - and even if she hadn't, the moment he heard her (quite distinct) surname at the hospital (and he *would* have heard it at that time) he would have had the question in his mind.

But it didn't really spoil what was an outstanding film. Halle Berry in particular was stunningly convincing at every point.

[–] alohahome 15 years ago

At the end he told her that he went by "our station" and that he "liked the sign" which indicates he may have told her about it.
However, I don't think he would want to talk about his prervious work at all since it was a part of his life that his dysfunctional father pushed him into and ultimately caused his son's suicide. It also had the potential to damage their fragile relationship.
He may not have heard her name at the hospital since he was talking to the cops about the hit and run during an interview and he also went outside to retrieve her purse.
I think he kept some things secret as did she, which is natural. What reason would he have to mention his unsavory prison work? Why would he share his feelings when he was taught all his life that such things were unmanly?
Basically, at the outset, he offered her rides to work and their relationship was still uncertain at this point during his soul changing transformation.