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The story of Steve Harmon, a 17-year-old honor student whose world comes crashing down around him when he is charged with felony murder.
Manuel São Bento
May 9, 2021 · via TMDB
If you enjoy reading my Spoiler-Free reviews, please follow my blog @ https://www.msbreviews.com I've written this a thousand times, but I'll repeat it once again: I absolutely love one-location movies. I don't know exactly if most of Monster is actually developed inside the courtroom, but it genuinely feels like it. In fact, I believe every scene outside this place is told through extended flashbacks with narration from Steve Harmon about what happened before and on the day of the crime. Since the protagonist is a film student, his voice-over contains descriptions often seen in screenplays, which it's pleasant at first, but then gets overdone. The trial is definitely the most captivating part of the story. Anthony Mandler and his team of writers demonstrate perfectly some real-life aspects of how the law works. From the well-known emotional disconnect of (some) lawyers with their clients to the prejudiced treatment of people of color, the courtroom sequences keep the movie interesting until its somewhat predictable, unsurprising conclusion. However, despite the exceptional performances from everyone involved, especially Kelvin Harrison Jr., the case itself wraps up with unanswered questions and some messages lost in the transmission. While the viewers spend the entire runtime following Steve being a good son, brother, and friend, the other Black characters being accused don't receive the same treatment. At one point in the film, someone says "you must consider him innocent until evidence proves him guilty", but this only applies to the protagonist since everyone else is presumed to be guilty from the get-go without the audience ever seeing or hearing their point of view or knowing why they committed that crime. Furthermore, even though the viewers get to know the verdict, Steve's true impact on the murder remains questionable due to the last couple of flashbacks, which begs the question: "are we really supposed to root for him?" Rating: C.
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Kelvin Harrison Jr.
Steve Harmon
Jeffrey Wright
Mr. Harmon
Jennifer Hudson
Mrs. Harmon
Jennifer Ehle
Katherine O'Brien
Tim Blake Nelson
Leroy Sawicki
John David Washington
Richard 'Bobo' Evans
A$AP Rocky
William King
Lovie Simone
Renee Pickford
Nas
Raymond 'Sunset' Green
Jharrel Jerome
Osvaldo Cruz
Mikey Madison
Alexandra Floyd
Paul Ben-Victor
Anthony Petrocelli
Dorian Missick
Asa Briggs
Jeremy Dash
Wendell Bolden
Liam Obergfoll
Casper Juenemann
Rege Lewis
Ernie Ryans
Nyleek Moore
Jerry Harmon
Joel Van Liew
James Moody
Adriana DeGirolami
Katie Green
Jonny Coyne
Detective Karyl
Roberto Lopez
Mr. Nesbitt
Kelvin Hale
Court Officer
Willie C. Carpenter
Judge
Geisha Otero
Jury Foreman
Keet Davis
King's Friend
Teresa Avia Lim
Allen Forbes
Alejandro Hernandez
Inmate
Joe Fugallo
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Avy Kaufman
Casting
Jason Cloth
Executive Producer
John Legend
Executive Producer
Nas
Executive Producer
Ty Stiklorius
Executive Producer
Aaron L. Gilbert
Producer
Mike Jackson
Producer
Harvey Mason Jr.
Original Music Composer
Ric Schnupp
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Radha Blank
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1981 · 11 wins
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