Monster's Ball

Several months after she picked up the gong for Best Actress, audiences on this side of the world finally get to make up their minds as to whether Halle Berry was worth her victory for her turn in Monster's Ball. And truth be told, she did - for Berry gives a towering performance in this superbly realised movie.

She plays Leticia Musgrove, a waitress who is struggling to raise her 12-year-old son. The boy's father, Lawrence (Combs) is on death row, awaiting execution and, for his final few hours, he is guarded by Hank Grotowski (Thornton) and his own boy, Sonny (Ledger). Although both men hate their jobs, they're simply carrying where Hank's racist father, Buck (Peter Boyle) left off. However, soon after they help conduct the execution, a series of events leads to Leticia and Hank meeting and developing a tentative relationship. Difficult but moving, Monster's Ball is a low budget but very accomplished offering. Thankfully devoid of liberal ideologies on the death penalty or the racism of the Deep South, it's a mature, graceful and thoughtful character study. Berry might have captured all of the headlines but spare a thought for Billy Bob Thornton. In his usual understated fashion, he imposes himself on the proceedings and delivers another staggering performance.