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"Who's the monster?"
Having just finished Monster, I feel like a tsunami of emotions has washed through me. Some were easier to face and process than others.
The film is an enactment of the Rashomon effect, a series of the same events told from primarily three different viewpoints. Despite the genre and tag for this film being thriller and psychological thriller, that was not my experience. More like social commentary with high stakes. Several things happened that concerned two boys, Minato and Yori, and their teacher, Mr. Hori. When Saori, Minato’s mother, believes Mr. Hori and possibly others have bullied her son, she goes to the school in a take no prisoner’s mode. The teachers (all male) and the principal (female) placate her with insincere apologies, writing her off as a neurotic single mother. Refusing to back down, she is relentless in her pursuit of justice for her child. But all may not be as it seems…
It truly is best to go into this film with no preconceived notions or knowledge. I found the first 2/3’s of the film shown through the adults’ eyes rather bland on occasion. Adults thinking they had all the answers jumped to conclusions, failed to properly communicate, and set rigid societal and familial boundaries. Single mothers were vilified and treated with condescending attitudes. The school faculty and administration cared only about protecting themselves and the school. And for one little boy who was viciously abused by his alcoholic father, the school, the law, and society in general offered zero protection. The school, with all of its "caring" teachers just presented another venue to cause the innocent pain.
Repeatedly through the film, questions were asked. “What is normal?” “What is a monster?” “What does it mean to be a man?” For me, with bullying being so pervasive, why did the teachers leave little monsters alone to terrorize the weak? This film will break your heart and make you angry. Above all, children need protection and acceptance at home, in school, and in society. And in their own home they need love and affection as well. How I wanted to hug these little boys and tell them that they were perfect the way they were. Too often it’s the people advocating a “normal” life who are the monsters inflicting the most fear and harm. An easy recommendation, but not an easy watch.
26 March 2026
Trigger warnings: Child abuse.
The film is an enactment of the Rashomon effect, a series of the same events told from primarily three different viewpoints. Despite the genre and tag for this film being thriller and psychological thriller, that was not my experience. More like social commentary with high stakes. Several things happened that concerned two boys, Minato and Yori, and their teacher, Mr. Hori. When Saori, Minato’s mother, believes Mr. Hori and possibly others have bullied her son, she goes to the school in a take no prisoner’s mode. The teachers (all male) and the principal (female) placate her with insincere apologies, writing her off as a neurotic single mother. Refusing to back down, she is relentless in her pursuit of justice for her child. But all may not be as it seems…
It truly is best to go into this film with no preconceived notions or knowledge. I found the first 2/3’s of the film shown through the adults’ eyes rather bland on occasion. Adults thinking they had all the answers jumped to conclusions, failed to properly communicate, and set rigid societal and familial boundaries. Single mothers were vilified and treated with condescending attitudes. The school faculty and administration cared only about protecting themselves and the school. And for one little boy who was viciously abused by his alcoholic father, the school, the law, and society in general offered zero protection. The school, with all of its "caring" teachers just presented another venue to cause the innocent pain.
Repeatedly through the film, questions were asked. “What is normal?” “What is a monster?” “What does it mean to be a man?” For me, with bullying being so pervasive, why did the teachers leave little monsters alone to terrorize the weak? This film will break your heart and make you angry. Above all, children need protection and acceptance at home, in school, and in society. And in their own home they need love and affection as well. How I wanted to hug these little boys and tell them that they were perfect the way they were. Too often it’s the people advocating a “normal” life who are the monsters inflicting the most fear and harm. An easy recommendation, but not an easy watch.
26 March 2026
Trigger warnings: Child abuse.
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