| By Jack Garner
Gannett News Service Thornton, Berry are dazzling in sad tale of death and racism The superbly acted film "Monster's Ball" takes its name from a medieval description of the activities surrounding a prisoner's execution. But, as Marc Forster's potent drama painfully demonstrates, the real monster's ball here is our nation's deadly dance with racism. Billy Bob Thornton and Halle Berry give riveting performances as an unlikely couple whose relationship is a prism through which to view racial attitudes. Berry earned a best- actress Oscar nomination. Thornton plays Hank Grotowski, a Southern, death-row prison guard who has followed in the footsteps of his now-retired father, Buck (Peter Boyle). Now Hank's son, Sonny (Heath Ledger), also works at the prison. As the film opens, Hank and Sonny are among the guards preparing a prisoner (Sean Combs) for execution. Clearly, the profession leaves wounds. Sonny, for example, throws up while escorting the man to the electric chair. Sonny is not happy with his job, but feels compelled by family tradition to make the effort. Even more hurtful is the other family trait - racism. Old Buck is unrelenting in his virulent hatred of blacks. Hank's racism is less overt, but still clearly present. Only Sonny seems to have moved beyond such hatred, but the two older men in his family view his attitude as weak and girlish. And when he confronts his father, tragedy follows. Berry, meanwhile, is Leticia Musgrove, a young woman struggling with all sorts of obstacles. Her estranged husband is on death row. (In fact, he's the prisoner executed by Hank and Sonny.) Her young son (Coronji Calhoun) is a sad and lonely boy with a weight problem, constantly seeking satisfaction from junk food. And Leticia also has money problems, and is on the verge of being evicted. But then Leticia and Hank meet - and evolve into unlikely friends, helping each other deal with their deep emotional scars. Their journey takes filmgoers through mighty dark territory - deaths and depression mount up, especially in the film's middle portion. But "Monster's Ball" details its story with engrossing realism and surprising grace, and with the wisdom and literary intelligence of a powerful short story. Thornton's Hank is a pained, guilt-ridden man, struggling to find some sort of justification to keep on living. Berry's Leticia is fighting hard to get a break out of life - and to find just a little tenderness or affection somewhere, somehow. Both create remarkable chemistry, in performances that speak volumes. "Monster's Ball" is a heart-wrenching but rewarding experience. Published 02.28.02 | 
