I finally watched the movie - at home, this weekend. I guess I had myself prepared because I was emotionally distanced enough to find it fascinating. I am next watching the 2004 version of the documentary "Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer". I understand that the purpose of the director was to delve deeply into the background of the woman behind the crimes. Yes, she was a criminal and of course she had to be punished. But, we can learn a great deal by understanding her pain. It does not make excuses or imply that defense should be easy on criminals. This is a very unique individual with an unusual life that is worth learning about.

The movie IS gritty and difficult so I am glad I read a good deal about it before I went to see it and also that I viewed it at HOME. The transformation of Charlize Theron itself was worth seeing. I think the dark lifeless contact lenses and the mouthpiece were the most amazing. One thing I learned was that Charlize gained weight not because Aileen was fat - she wasn't, but because Aileen hated her body. This was a way Charlize could relate to hating her own body - by gaining the weight.