Monster 2021
6.5 / 10
Monster
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.
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.
Videos & Photos
All 1 Videos & 12 Photos
cast
Full Cast & Crew
... Steve Harmon
... Mr. Harmon
... Mrs. Harmon
... Katherine O'Brien
... Leroy Sawicki
... Richard 'Bobo' Evans
User reviews
See All 1 Reviews23 Jun 2021 by Manuel São Bento
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.
Directors:
Release Date:
Jul 15, 2021 (Canada,United States)
Run Time:
1hr 38`
MMPA Rating:
R
Original Language:
English
Production Countries:
Canada,United States
Status:
Released
Plot Keywords:
Related Movies To
Monster
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.
Cast & Crew of
Monster
Directors & Credit Writers
... Director
Cast
... Steve Harmon
... Mr. Harmon
... Mrs. Harmon
... Katherine O'Brien
... Leroy Sawicki
... Richard 'Bobo' Evans
... William King
... Renee Pickford
... Raymond 'Sunset' Green
... Osvaldo Cruz
... Alexandra Floyd
... Anthony Petrocelli
... Asa Briggs
JD
Jeremy Dash... Wendell Bolden
... Casper Juenemann
... Ernie Ryans
... Jerry Harmon
... James Moody
... Jose Delgado
... Katie Green
Produced By
Related Movies To
Monster
A Working Man (2025)
0 /10
Levon Cade left behind a decorated military career in the black ops to live a simple life working construction. But when his boss's daughter, who is like family to him, is taken by human traffickers, his search to bring her home uncovers a world of corruption far greater than he ever could have imagined.
Run Time: 1hr 56` . MMPA: R . Release: 26 Mar 2025
Director: Eddie J. Fernandez , Jack Fontaine , Emily Richardson
Producer: Sylvester Stallone , Kevin King Templeton , Kevin King
Stars: Jason Statham , David Harbour , Michael Peña , Jason Flemyng , Arianna Rivas , Noemi Gonzalez
Tarzan (1999)
7.3 /10
Tarzan was a small orphan who was raised by an ape named Kala since he was a child. He believed that this was his family, but on an expedition Jane Porter is rescued by Tarzan. He then finds out that he's human. Now Tarzan must make the decision as to which family he should belong to...
Run Time: 1hr 28` . MMPA: G . Release: 18 Jun 1999
Director: Chris Buck , Johan Klingler , Chung Sup Yoon
Producer: Bonnie Arnold , Christopher Chase , Mary Hidalgo
Stars: Tony Goldwyn , Minnie Driver , Glenn Close , Alex D. Linz , Rosie O'Donnell , Brian Blessed
Out of Exile (2023)
0 /10
Recently paroled thief Gabriel Russell tries to balance his life and mend a troubled family as an FBI agent hunts him down, along with his crew after a botched armored car robbery.
Run Time: 1hr 47` . MMPA: R . Release: 20 Jan 2023
Director: Kyle Kauwika Harris
Producer: Marcus Cox , Jacob Snovel , Karrie Cox
Stars: Adam Hampton , Karrie Cox , Kyle Jacob Henry , Ryan Merriman , Peter Greene , Hayley McFarland
Conjuring the Cult (2024)
0 /10
After discovering his blood-soaked daughter dead in the bathtub, David Bryson attends a self-help group to help save him from his ghostly nightmares. But when a group of mysterious cult-like women offer to help him resurrect his daughter. David's choices will not just decide his fate... but the fate of his dead daughter's SOUL.
Run Time: 1hr 33` . MMPA: . Release: 01 Oct 2024
Director: Calvin Morie McCarthy
Producer:
Stars: Neil Green , Elissa Dowling , Chynna Rae Shurts , BJ Mezek , Jason Brooks , Brad Littlefield
Wicked Minds (2003)
5.3 /10
Holden returns home from college and is surprised to find his overpowering competitive father married to a much younger woman Lana. Holden quickly falls for the beauty and charisma of his step mother. A passionate affair begins between son and stepmother.
Run Time: 1hr 33` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 01 Mar 2003
Director: Jason Hreno
Producer: Jean Bureau , Vera Miller , Josée Mauffette
Stars: Angie Everhart , Andrew W. Walker , Winston Rekert , Amy Sloan , Frank Schorpion , Ellen David
Front of the Class (2008)
8.1 /10
A boy with Tourette's syndrome overcomes criticism and discrimination to achieve his dream of becoming a teacher.
Run Time: 1hr 35` . MMPA: . Release: 07 Dec 2008
Director: Peter Werner
Producer: Andrew Gottlieb
Stars: James Wolk , Treat Williams , Dominic Scott Kay , Sarah Drew , Kathleen York , Joe Chrest
After (2019)
5.3 /10
Tessa Young is a dedicated student, dutiful daughter and loyal girlfriend to her high school sweetheart. Entering her first semester of college, Tessa's guarded world opens up when she meets Hardin Scott, a mysterious and brooding rebel who makes her question all she thought she knew about herself -- and what she wants out of life.
Run Time: 1hr 46` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 11 Apr 2019
Director: Jenny Gage
Producer: Vassal Benford , William Sadleir , Nicolas Chartier
Stars: Josephine Langford , Hero Fiennes Tiffin , Shane Paul McGhie , Khadijha Red Thunder , Dylan Arnold , Samuel Larsen
Breathing In (2023)
0 /10
1901, South Africa. As the Second Anglo-Boer War rages on, a wounded General seeks refuge in the small home of a woman and her young daughter. As the hurt man settles in, he begins noticing that something is off about the two women, particularly the daughter, and before long, he’ll learn the real reason for why they’ve invited him and for how they’ve survived on their own for so long.
Run Time: 1hr 45` . MMPA: . Release: 18 Oct 2023
Director: Jaco Bouwer
Producer:
Stars: Michele Burgers , Sven Ruygrok , Jamie-Lee Money , Lionel Newton
Havoc (2025)
0 /10
When a drug heist swerves lethally out of control, a jaded cop fights his way through a corrupt city's criminal underworld to save a politician's son.
Run Time: 1hr 47` . MMPA: R . Release: 25 Apr 2025
Director: Liam Lock , James McGeown , Gareth Evans
Producer: Gareth Evans , Sarah Dibsdall , Juliette Woodcock
Stars: Tom Hardy , Forest Whitaker , Timothy Olyphant , Justin Cornwell , Jessie Mei Li , Yann Yann Yeo
Karate Kid: Legends (2025)
0 /10
After a family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother. When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition – but his skills alone aren't enough. Li's kung fu teacher Mr. Han enlists original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown.
Run Time: 1hr 34` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 08 May 2025
Director: Richard Graves , Shanna Roberts Salée , Jonathan Entwistle
Producer: Jenny Hinkey , Ralph Macchio , Karen Rosenfelt
Stars: Jackie Chan , Ralph Macchio , Ben Wang , Joshua Jackson , Sadie Stanley , Ming-Na Wen
Wind River (2017)
7.7 /10
An FBI agent teams with the town's veteran game tracker to investigate a murder that occurred on a Native American reservation.
Run Time: 1hr 47` . MMPA: R . Release: 03 Aug 2017
Director: Taylor Sheridan , Melissa Yount , Nicolas Harvard
Producer: Harvey Weinstein , Arnaud Lannic , Alexandra Jardine
Stars: Jeremy Renner , Elizabeth Olsen , Gil Birmingham , Graham Greene , Jon Bernthal , Kelsey Asbille
After We Collided (2020)
5 /10
Tessa finds herself struggling with her complicated relationship with Hardin; she faces a dilemma that could change their lives forever.
Run Time: 1hr 45` . MMPA: R . Release: 02 Sep 2020
Director: Chad Rosen , Tony Niknejadi , Roger Kumble
Producer: Jennifer Gibgot , Jonathan Deckter , Aron Levitz
Stars: Josephine Langford , Hero Fiennes Tiffin , Dylan Sprouse , Louise Lombard , Charlie Weber , Candice King