Monster's Ball is a 2001 romantic drama film directed by Marc Forster and written by Milo Addica and Will Rokos. It was produced by Lions Gate and Lee Daniels Entertainment. The title comes from a custom in medieval England where prisoners awaiting execution were called monsters. The night before their execution, their jailers would hold a feast known as a monster's ball as their final farewell. Halle Berry won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Leticia Musgrove. The two actors involved took a really big risk and both committed to a scene that neither had to do to boost either's career. Most actors and actresses do sex scenes when they are struggling trying to make it in the industry and they had already made it. If you are under 18 or offended by sexual scenes then do NOT watch!

Hank Grotowski (Billy Bob Thornton), a widower, and his son, Sonny (Heath Ledger), are employed as correctional officers. They reside in Louisiana with Hank's ailing father, Buck (Peter Boyle), an unwavering racist whose wife had committed suicide. Buck has influenced Hank's hateful attitude towards others, which resulted in Hank's hatred of his father, his son, and members of the neighboring community.

As Hank and Sonny assist in the execution of convicted murderer Lawrence Musgrove (Sean Combs), the proceedings prove too intense for Sonny, who begins to vomit as he is leading Lawrence to the electric chair. Hank humiliates Sonny for this perceived weakness and hits him. Unable to cope with the estrangement, Sonny lashes out at his father, armed with a revolver. The confrontation ends in their living room with Hank at gunpoint, lying on the carpet, and Sonny in his grandfather's customary chair. Sonny asks his father, "You hate me, don't you"? After his father calmly answers yes, Sonny responds, "Well, I always loved you," before shooting and killing himself. Hank subsequently buries his son, quits his job at the detention center, and burns his uniform in the backyard.

During the years of Lawrence's imprisonment, his wife, Leticia Musgrove (Berry), has been struggling while raising their son, Tyrell. The boy, who inherited his father's artistic talent, is also morbidly obese. In facing these hurdles, Leticia drinks frequently and is thereby unable to pay her bills, leading to an eviction notice. In desperate need of money, Leticia becomes employed at a coffee shop frequented by Hank. One night, Leticia and Tyrell are walking down a rain-soaked highway when the boy is struck by a car. Leticia is left helpless on the side of the road, grasping her son and calling out to passing motorists for help, although no one stops to help.

Hank happens to be driving along, however, and sees Leticia, cradling her mortally injured son. He initially drives by as well, but eventually goes back to pick them up, driving them to a hospital. Tyrell dies upon arrival, and Hank reluctantly takes the mourning Leticia home. There, the two form an unexpected bond in their collective grief. They begin an affair, which is initially based on sex and relief from loneliness but later becomes emotionally supportive. Hank finds out that Leticia is Lawrence's widow, but he does not tell her that he participated in her husband's execution.

Buck insults Leticia, using strong racial language; and Hank turns his back on his father's hateful influence by sending him to a nursing home. At the end of the film, Leticia, despite having uncovered Hank's complicity in her husband's death, decides to stay with him. As they sit on the porch and gaze up at the stars, he says, "We're going to be all right."