Good concept, poorly executed.

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

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!

Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (1992) was the first film that Nick Broomfield made about America's "first female serial killer". We follow Nick Broomfield around the sleazy side of Florida (and of American culture)as he tries to learn more about Aileen Wuornos. We also learn about how everyone is out to get a piece of her fame and ride it until it's out of gas. Mr. Broomfield does everything he can to try and get an interview as well with the notorious serial killer. Will Nick Broomfield get his interview? Are people really this greedy and shallow? What drove Ms. Wuornos and why to Christian groups want her to die in IL' Sparky? Check it out!!Not as compelling as the second film but it's still interesting. I would strongly recommend this film for documentary fans or those who enjoy Nick Broomfield's work.

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.