Your Monster (2024): Review and Summary
It’s a romance, it’s a revenge tale, it is Melissa Barrera proving she doesn’t need “Scream” to be a movie star.
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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| Film Length | 1 Hour 38 Minutes |
| Advisory Rating | Rated R |
| Release Date | October 25, 2024 |
| Initially Available On/Via | Theatrical |
| Genre(s) | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror, Romance |
| Distributor | Vertical Entertainment |
| Director | Caroline Lindy |
| Writer | Caroline Lindy |
| Character Name | Actor |
| Laura | Melissa Barrera |
| Jacob | Edmund Donovan |
| Monster | Tommy Dewey |
Plot Summary
For at least 5 years, Jacob and Laura dated and during that time she helped him make his first Broadway musical, “House of Good Women.” She didn’t just read lines but helped him workshop and mold the musical into something worthy of Broadway but when Laura got sick, Jacob dumped her to focus all his attention on his work.
Now, after surgery, Laura is drowning in her own tears in her absent mother’s home, where she comes across Monster. Someone who clearly has a connection to Laura but with her not recognizing him, she treats him as someone new in her life and as he goes from frightening to comforting, Laura harnesses who she is and was outside of Jacob and reintroduces herself to the world.
Character Descriptions
Laura
Laura is a musical theater nerd who didn’t necessarily raise herself, but the way she paints her mother, she wasn’t very active in her life. But, thankfully, Laura had Golden Age Hollywood musicals to keep her company and whenever she is feeling down, she watches Gene Kelly or others to get her spirits up.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Vida: Season 1.”
Jacob
Jacob is the writer and director of “House of Good Women” which is supposed to be his ode to women and what they go through. Unbeknowst to most, however, he is worst than any man in his musical.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Tell Me Lies.”
Monster
Monster is Laura’s anger.
Other Noteworthy Information
- Movie Contains: Cursing, Gore, Blood, Torture, Sexual Situations (Implied)
- The distributor is also known for “Miss Juneteenth.”
Review
Our Rating: Positive (Worth Seeing)
Audience
“Your Monster” is made for those who tend to forget themselves and be there for everyone else, and need a reminder it is okay to get angry, demand reciprocity, and set boundaries.
Highlights
The Role Of Laura’s Monster
Lynds Gallant, on Twitter/ X put up this quote in 2020 which pretty much summarizes the film:
I wanna share something my therapist said about ✨anger✨ that blew my mind:
— Lynds Gallant (@apocalynds) June 7, 2020
"Your anger is the part of you that knows your mistreatment and abuse are unacceptable. Your anger knows you deserve to be treated well, and with kindness. Your anger is a part of you that LOVES you."
As you watch Monster interact with Laura, encourage her to feel rather just cry it out until she is numb, it almost seems like Caroline Lindy saw that quote and built a entire movie around it. Which really pushes you to honor, embrace, and exhibit your anger. For never mind protecting and setting boundaries, your anger also is what makes you passionate about the safety of others, and flares up your passion to be good and demand to be seen and taken seriously.
I’d even say, when Laura is singing “A Song For You” to her anger, it really hits you how much her anger means to her despite her shutting it out and trying to live a life which was demure, mindful, but also a disservice to everything she is.
How It Ended
Throughout the movie, the focus is on Jacob’s musical, “House of Good Women” and you’d may think like any film that isn’t a musical which talks about a musical, you may hear a few lines, or part of a song, but no kind of finished product. That isn’t the case with “Your Monster.” Laura’s final scene, the final scene in the movie, is an epic song, which rivals some of the stuff we’ve seen live, and creates one of the best, mic drop endings we’ve seen in a long time. There is no fade to black when it comes to “Your Monster,” it leaves you having the feelings or words of “Oh wow.”
The Monster
Tommy Dewey as Monster will give you Jim Carrey as “The Grinch” vibes, but less playing to a crowd of kids. I’d even say, there is a touch of Ryan Reynolds in his comedy that makes it so, I wouldn’t say he delivers the funniest performance you’ve ever seen, not even seen this year, but for Laura’s journey, he is a perfect supporting character.
On The Fence
There Is A Chance You May Grow Tired Of Laura’s Feelings Towards Jacob
I’m not going to lie, watching Barrera as Laura cry over Jacob for a good part of the beginning of the movie was annoying. Someone even walked out of the theater because, it is a series of scenes you recognize are meant to be funny, but “Your Monster” doesn’t do well the crying, eating a copious amount of food, montage. But, as Monster distracts Laura and makes her focus on their relationship and her relationship with other people, thankfully that stops and she stops crying over someone who doesn’t deserve her tears.
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