Monster’s Ball

Georgia prison guard Hank Grotowski (Billy Bob Thornton) shares a home with his vile, racist father (Peter Boyle) and troubled young-adult son (A Knight’s Tale’s Heath Ledger) in this stark, dark story about the healing, redemptive power of love and long-reaching tentacles of bigotry. Hank has an affair with the widow Leticia (Halle Berry) of an executed prisoner (Sean Combs) as tragedy rocks both their lives. Berry’s natural glamour works against the atmosphere and authenticity of the film, but the acting here is generally excellent. The story softens its credibility with an overload of coincidence but finds a quiet strength in its lean dialogue. This despairing dance of bullies, caretakers, victims, shredded emotions and lost souls includes graphic simulations of sex as Hank and his son in separate scenes penetrate a local hooker from behind while standing and Hank and Leticia consummate their affair. Directed by Marc Forster.