YOUR MONSTER

US, 2024, 103 minutes, Colour.

Melissa Barrera, Tommy Dewey, Edmund Donovan, Meghann Fahey, Kayla Foster.

Directed by Caroline Lindy.

There have been many variations on the theme of Beauty and the Beast, especially the classic fairytale and the different film versions, animated and live-action. But, the theme has been taken for all kinds of dramas, the male beast, the female beauty, the interactions.

This is a contemporary variation on the theme, the focus on a young woman, the beauty, Laura, Melissa Barrera, working with a composer to create songs for a musical production, but her being diagnosed with cancer, surgery, and the composer abandoning her.

The narrative has the background of the putting on a show on Broadway, the producers, money, intervening in the casting, the director, the writer, the various actors and dancers and their ambitions.

However, Laura is a recluse, one of the dancers a friend but whom she will discover has betrayed her. She does want to participate in the musical, even auditioning for a dancing role and being particularly unsuccessful at the audition. Yet she is hired as part of the ensemble.

But the key to the film, not a long running time, is Laura’s discovery of the other person who lives in her apartment, the Beast, human but hairy, a touch handsome, a touch more animal-like. He has a great influence on her, continued dialogue, his presence, sometimes absent, encouraging her, disappearing, but finally her going to a party, glamorously dressed, and his arrival there, well presented, and confronting the composer.

The film is particularly directed towards a younger audience, a younger female audience, identifying in many ways with the central character and her ambitions and her difficulties, but intrigued by the character and influence of the Beast.

But, there is the theme of the beast not just being external, but being part of the character of the young woman, the beauty and the beast in herself, the struggle, the creativity, the destructive aspects.

1. The title? Her monster? expectations?
2. The use of the Beauty and the Beast fable, Laura and her beauty, character? The Monster, his appearance, his behaviour, violent and vicious, yet charm within? The theme of the dual aspects of the one personality, beauty and beast?
3. The opening, Laura in hospital, cancer surgery, her mood, the corridor, her memories, her relationship with Jack, the composing for the musical, his impatience in the hospital, leaving her, her desperation? Going home, the lonely apartment, Maisie as her friend, flighty, promising support?
4. Laura at home, by herself, sad, eating, memories, hearing noises?
5. The appearance of the Monster, his appearance, manner, his memories for Laura when she was a little girl, her trapping him in the room?
6. No background for the Monster, but his presence, the vicious moments, the tormenting and teasing moments, his attitude towards Laura, her screaming?
7. Their gradually getting used to each other, life at home, conversations, his understanding, his talents, his rendition of Shakespeare, his singing?
8. The effect on Laura, her decision to go to the audition, to face Jack? The friendly young man and letting her in? Seeing Jackie Denman, her reputation? The audition, Laura’s failure, going home?
9. Laura and the monster and their discussions, his encouraging her, getting her to scream, break the plates, break out? The interpretation of these actions as her inner monster surfacing challenging her?
10. Her defiance, the interview with Jack, her being accepted as an understudy, part of the chorus, her presence, going to the rehearsals? Her watching Jack and his relationship with Jackie? Her envy, jealousy, feelings of revenge? Yet love?
11. The Halloween party, the invitation to the Monster, his refusal, her dress, admired, watching Jack and Jackie, the rage rising? The Monster appearing, smartly dressed, the dancing?
12. The confrontation with the Monster, his disappearance, her grief?
13. The further rehearsals, the confrontation of Jack, bonding with the other members of the cast, Maisie and her betrayal with Jack?
14. The performance, the first night, the audience, a powerful performance, her singing, her increased rage against Jack, blood smeared, the corpse on the stage floor, the finale, and beast taking over the beauty?