A Disappointing Continuation

n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

I only found out about Aileen Wuornos because of a not very recognisable Charlize Theron playing her and winning an Oscar for the film Monster (ironically she won on Wuornos's birthday). Then I heard about this documentary by British filmmaker Nick Broomfield (Biggie & Tupac), featured in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, I was happy to see any documentary about the real Wuornos. This film documents Broomfield as he interviews all those who knew Wuornos well and has had acquaintance with her. She was sentenced to death after being convicted for the murder of seven men, all victim to her shooting them when she was into prostitution, and her girlfriend at the time, Tyra moore, gave evidence in trial. The film mainly sees how Wuornos was exposed and exploited by the press, and Broomfield's ultimate goal is to interview Wuornos herself, and get some opinions and access from the two closest to her in prison, adopted mother Arlene Pralle and lawyer Steve Glazer. Obviously the final interview with Aileen Wuornos, before she is executed by lethal injection ten years later, is to look forward to, but I think the archive footage of Wuornos in court rooms and defending herself was extraordinary (in the bad way). Wuronos had a most foul mouth when it came to be being sentenced, saying such things as "your all going to Hell and I'm going to Heaven" and "I hope all your children get raped", in my opinion, she got what she deserved. Also with interviews and footage from Jesse 'The Human Bomb' Aviles, Cannonball, Sgt. Brian Jarvis and Mike Reynolds. Good!

A person may kill out of hatred, meanness, apathy, anger, or desperation. Whatever the reason, murder can never be tolerated except as an act of self defense. But what can we say about someone who repeatedly puts herself in dangerous situations, and then not once but seven takes a life, each time claiming that she had acted in self defense? As even she complains, it's all in the numbers. That she had a miserable life, with a long history of neglect and abuse, is doubted by no one. That those whom she killed were mean and loathsome toads who cared nothing for her, and would have taken her life had she not murdered them first, is also arguably true. But she kept putting herself in such situations repeatedly, anyway, and that's where her claim for self defense seems absurd.The documentary portrays her as angry at the world, yet relentlessly addicted to bad advice from others who seek to exploit her for their own selfish reasons. First she listens to a nincompoop "Christian" lady, who convinces her that Jesus will forgive her sins if only she admits to all her crimes in court. So she does, only later to realize the stupidity of such advice. Similarly with legal representation. Going from bad to worse she listens to a worthless narcissist more interested in his own career than saving her life. For all involved, she is worth more dead than alive. Her life would end in the electric chair, while the audience would be eating popcorn and watching the Hollywood version of her story.The deeper question, however, is how did this woman become a killer in the first place? What is it about our culture that we turn a blind eye to poverty, neglect and abuse, yet we blame those who act out their frustrations through anti-social behaviors? Given her background, why should we be surprised that she turned out as she did? Her life meant nothing to anyone until she went over the edge, and then it only meant a story to be exploited for profit by others. There are flaws in this documentary, to be sure, but a very sad story it yet remains.

The movie jacket claims this film is along the lines of Michael Moore's Roger and Me and Errol Morris' The Thin Blue Line, I wouldn't go that far. This film uncovers the injustice Aileen received throughout her legal process, but it was lacking stylistically. The lighting was poor, unnecessary pauses distracted the viewer from the content of the interviews, and the editing could have been cleaner. Regardless of these stylistic faults, the film's subject matter carries the film, that and Wuornos's chillingly perceptive outbursts in court. This woman's story--told correctly--is a valuable lesson to Americans and brings to light the need to reform the criminal justice system, which for Aileen, was corrupt on every level.

"Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer" is a disturbing documentary in which no one comes out in a positive light: not the police, not the lawyers, not the judges, not the media, certainly not Aileen Wuornos and not even the filmmakers.This documentary by Nick Broomfield is unfocused, and the filmmaker and his small crew are often part of the saga. It paints a rather grim picture, where police are more concerned about possible movie deals than arresting the right person (although they did have the right person, almost by accident), where lawyers are slime buckets even when masquerading as laid back rejects from the '60s and '70s "flower power" era, and where people who claim to be spiritual and doing "God's work" come out looking no less mercenary or self-serving than anyone else (well, except maybe the killer and the sleazy lawyer).Filmmaker Broomfield doesn't give us nearly as many facts as you might expect - and in this case, even wish for - in a documentary of this type. Much of the film consists of him traipsing around with his small film crew, trying to convince somebody to talk to him. He seems often to miss the point, and doesn't ask the most relevant or probing questions. I never could decide, while watching this film, how much of that was on purpose, for effect, and how much was just him not doing a very good job. It does add to the overall dark impression in the film, that few people really know the truth, know what's going on, and that fewer still care... Interesting in places, disturbing in others, downright scary if you come out of this believing this is how the criminal justice system works (or not) in this country, Broomfield's film is certainly thought provoking, if somewhat confused and lacking focus.