Monster's Ball (2001)

The ability/inability to connect with people and the conflict that arises because of it might not sound like an engaging premise to some, but in the proper hands that conflict is all that's needed to craft engaging, believable characters. Monster's Ball has it in spades.
Tragedy and loss run deep within it and manifest in more than just the obvious signposted way. There are numerous crux points of the story and they're almost all painful. It's not a happy film, but it made me think about things I've never thought about before; that's to be applauded.
Great performances from everyone involved mean it's a story I'll return to again when the time is right.

4 caged birds out of 5