"Miss Monday" tells of a screenwriter (Hicks) wrestling with his script. Unable to get into the character of his female lead he researches her by stalking a randomly selected yuppie woman (Hart) and gets more than he bargained for. The film begins as a shoddy comedy/lite-drama with poor flow and too many nonsequiturs and then turns into a dark and disturbing drama leaving us to wonder if Lee is a genius or simply got lucky. Regardless, this little low budget British indie gets off to a slow start but pays off for those who hang in there. Kudos to Hart whose performance makes the film.
12 Reviews
SOME SERIOUSLY AMAZING PERFORMANCE
kida_fish11 July 2004
What lies behind closed doors? Or what lurks in the deepest and darkest reaches of our souls? This is exactly what MISS MONDAY tries to explore; the guinea pig? A high flying' executive named Gloria, played by the very able Andrea Hart.
After the initial preliminaries, the movie finally kicks off, as a screenwriter (James Hicks) finds himself fumbling for words and inspiration to depict a leading character (Marianne) of his script. Hence, on the advice of his mentor, Hicks decides to actually observe' a real-life person resembling his script-character, whom he feels could inspire him into writing his Marianne' with much less difficulty.
So, the screenwriter decides to become a scientist and sneaks his way into Miss. Gloria's abode to study his subject and learn her ways and mannerisms. Until this point the script looks goofy and awkward. But then we get to see one of the finest acting performances by Andrea Hart, as she unfolds the middle-aged, single, ambitious executive Miss. Gloria's inner sanctum, which is otiose, dismal and sorry; much in contradiction to her alter persona that the outside world is conversant with.
Hart's brilliant acting performance comes in during the time when the movie is almost dialogue-less. The way she limns the disturbed and insecure side of an otherwise uncompromising and demanding woman, is scary, especially because it is so lifelike. Forget the direction, forget the script, forget the supporting cast; MISS MONDAY is all about Hart's memorable performance, cap-a-pie.
MISS MONDAY is truly indie. Though the story seems unrealistic, the direction and the performance are natural. There is nothing flashy about MISS MONDAY. With everything else restricted to the bare minimum, the movie is left in the hands of the performance of the cast, especially that of Andrea Hart. Andrea delivers, and delivers generously. Watch the movie and be shocked and spellbound, alike.
RATING: 8/10
After the initial preliminaries, the movie finally kicks off, as a screenwriter (James Hicks) finds himself fumbling for words and inspiration to depict a leading character (Marianne) of his script. Hence, on the advice of his mentor, Hicks decides to actually observe' a real-life person resembling his script-character, whom he feels could inspire him into writing his Marianne' with much less difficulty.
So, the screenwriter decides to become a scientist and sneaks his way into Miss. Gloria's abode to study his subject and learn her ways and mannerisms. Until this point the script looks goofy and awkward. But then we get to see one of the finest acting performances by Andrea Hart, as she unfolds the middle-aged, single, ambitious executive Miss. Gloria's inner sanctum, which is otiose, dismal and sorry; much in contradiction to her alter persona that the outside world is conversant with.
Hart's brilliant acting performance comes in during the time when the movie is almost dialogue-less. The way she limns the disturbed and insecure side of an otherwise uncompromising and demanding woman, is scary, especially because it is so lifelike. Forget the direction, forget the script, forget the supporting cast; MISS MONDAY is all about Hart's memorable performance, cap-a-pie.
MISS MONDAY is truly indie. Though the story seems unrealistic, the direction and the performance are natural. There is nothing flashy about MISS MONDAY. With everything else restricted to the bare minimum, the movie is left in the hands of the performance of the cast, especially that of Andrea Hart. Andrea delivers, and delivers generously. Watch the movie and be shocked and spellbound, alike.
RATING: 8/10
Too real for words...
caribiagrrl19 August 2001
Warning: Spoilers
I, like a previous poster, stumbled upon this movie quite by accident. I was fortunate to catch the whole thing the second time around. I found myself as horrified as the character of Roman, and was riveted to this mini-implosion that took place in Gloria's house in the dead of night. Interestingly, it took him a good month to get over this graphic view of Gloria's private moments. The time on the train immediately after he fled - yes, fled - her apartment :-), when he caught the eyes of an attractive woman, was so telling. He now knew that there was no way to know what lurks beneath. Everyone has their own private demons, and while we are fortunate to keep ours hidden, it dawned on poor Gloria at last that her secrets had probably been found out. Her wickedly confident veneer slid into craven anxiety as she realized that the boogieman had finally arrived, and she could never feel safe again...
One of the many movies seen and appreciated by a dedicated few GEM Hunters.
billyumT27 November 2001
This is a excellent example of so many excellent works of Independent Cinema. It has been nominated for and won several special festival awards yet It seems to have been ignored at all levels of the film "Critical" community, Thus dooming it to near oblivion.
The writing may have flaws and some of the acting goes over the top a few times. Please remember this is not a $120,000,000 Universal Studios Blockbuster. Even with it's minor flaws It is a very surprising movie.
The story begins in a simple comedic fashion giving the viewer a false sense of security as to the probable story line. But just when the viewer thinks they have it pegged the writer and actors reveal the real message through a series of carefully constructed and well performed revelations about both main characters.
To the viewer who is willing to allow themselves to be open both intellectually and emotionally, this film may cause them to question perceptions of those around us.
I felt that the film worked on a number of levels. While it won't sate everyone's tastes. Highly recommend it to those who enjoy a well written slice-of-life story.
The writing may have flaws and some of the acting goes over the top a few times. Please remember this is not a $120,000,000 Universal Studios Blockbuster. Even with it's minor flaws It is a very surprising movie.
The story begins in a simple comedic fashion giving the viewer a false sense of security as to the probable story line. But just when the viewer thinks they have it pegged the writer and actors reveal the real message through a series of carefully constructed and well performed revelations about both main characters.
To the viewer who is willing to allow themselves to be open both intellectually and emotionally, this film may cause them to question perceptions of those around us.
I felt that the film worked on a number of levels. While it won't sate everyone's tastes. Highly recommend it to those who enjoy a well written slice-of-life story.
Disturbing, moving and very strange.
paulsue8226 December 2006
Warning: Spoilers
A script-writer Roman(James Hicks) can't 'see' one of his characters in his mind's eye. The character, Marianne, is to be a successful career woman in The City. His agent advises him to try observing real yuppies and he sets out to do so. He literally bumps into Gloria (Andrea Hart) and she drops her mobile. Before he can return it she has caught a cab. He finds a spare house-key inside the phone's leather holder, (a little unbelievable but never mind). Having found her address, Roman enters the house in the morning when she is at work and begins to search for clues to Gloria's character in her food, clothes, diary etc. He is forced to hide in her bedroom closet when Gloria returns home early. Roman then spends the afternoon, evening and night observing and recording what price Gloria pays for her success. Her behaviour when alone is disturbing at times, but the loneliness of the character is well portrayed by the actor and very moving. This is not the kind of film that will appeal to everybody but I found the lack of special effects, gun-fighting and other general violence a refreshing change. There are scenes in this film which will haunt me for a long time.
Writers block that leads to blocked writer: Scary stuff indeed.
Cinema_Fan10 May 2007
Up and coming writer Roman (James Hicks) is struggling to come up with the goods for his serious social drama based upon the high flying independent career woman. In London's Financial District, known as The City, he can find his answers, in search for his real life Marianne for his screenplay "Miss Monday", he goes undercover, and with borrowed suit and briefcase, he takes on the role of a City employee, scouting, listening and investigating for that all-important breakthrough.
What he finds is something more incomprehensible, more bizarre and intriguing. While gaining access to Miss Mondays, aka Gloria, home, researching then takes on a completely new perspective, caught in the middle of his meddling for background information, unexpectedly, she returns home early, Roman is trapped. He hides. He observes. He learns.
This is where Miss Mondays second act starts to take a different role from lighthearted humour to dark sided concern, a woman with potential, with ambition and vision. That is what we are led to believe from this busy modern independent woman, from the external persona she gives us. There is more afoot here than Roman could have possibly imagined, a woman, a frustrated woman, a martyred woman, a cheated woman and an overlooked woman in both her career and life, this is the real world that Roman's Miss Monday exists, an unhappy woman.
Haunted by her own personal Bogeyman, and hidden demons, Gloria and her private and personal secrets, unbeknown to her, are slowly unravelled before our eyes. Her angst and desperation of coming to terms with her childhood, her career, her age and her life is beautifully dealt with, with great pains, this woman is more than a little perplexed and lost, like the ghosts of her past, they have come back to haunt her.
Done with tenderness and soft pummelling that gives us a view of human torment and how when one stumbles across it can inevitably change our outlook on how we should see others and not judge them so quickly. Roman has learnt this valuable lesson well, too well. Can he ever look anyone in the eye again and say he knows them proper? Has this shocking experience opened his eyes and given him vision that goes beyond ignorance and prejudice?
The style of movie making here, as with writing and production, is done Toronto born Benson Lee no harm whatsoever, winner of the Special Jury Prize of the 1998 Sundance Film Festival for the acting abilities for Andrea Hart and nominated by the Grand Jury Prize for Benson Lee too. St. Louis International Film Festival during 1998 gave this imaginative director the Emerging Filmmaker Award and too nominated by the Independent Spirit Awards for Andrea Hart's Best Debut Performance. With interesting editing by Tula Goenka, Emily Gumpel and Robert Tate and with the use of its music, both classical and original, Miss Monday is as highly independent in its concept as it is in its delivery of this personal and tragic saga.
Poor Roman may have writers block but Miss Monday is a highly imaginative and entertaining made movie, it really is a shame that it has not, as it should rightfully be, more appreciated to a wider audience, both for its originality and for its understanding of the complex and fragile human psyche.
What he finds is something more incomprehensible, more bizarre and intriguing. While gaining access to Miss Mondays, aka Gloria, home, researching then takes on a completely new perspective, caught in the middle of his meddling for background information, unexpectedly, she returns home early, Roman is trapped. He hides. He observes. He learns.
This is where Miss Mondays second act starts to take a different role from lighthearted humour to dark sided concern, a woman with potential, with ambition and vision. That is what we are led to believe from this busy modern independent woman, from the external persona she gives us. There is more afoot here than Roman could have possibly imagined, a woman, a frustrated woman, a martyred woman, a cheated woman and an overlooked woman in both her career and life, this is the real world that Roman's Miss Monday exists, an unhappy woman.
Haunted by her own personal Bogeyman, and hidden demons, Gloria and her private and personal secrets, unbeknown to her, are slowly unravelled before our eyes. Her angst and desperation of coming to terms with her childhood, her career, her age and her life is beautifully dealt with, with great pains, this woman is more than a little perplexed and lost, like the ghosts of her past, they have come back to haunt her.
Done with tenderness and soft pummelling that gives us a view of human torment and how when one stumbles across it can inevitably change our outlook on how we should see others and not judge them so quickly. Roman has learnt this valuable lesson well, too well. Can he ever look anyone in the eye again and say he knows them proper? Has this shocking experience opened his eyes and given him vision that goes beyond ignorance and prejudice?
The style of movie making here, as with writing and production, is done Toronto born Benson Lee no harm whatsoever, winner of the Special Jury Prize of the 1998 Sundance Film Festival for the acting abilities for Andrea Hart and nominated by the Grand Jury Prize for Benson Lee too. St. Louis International Film Festival during 1998 gave this imaginative director the Emerging Filmmaker Award and too nominated by the Independent Spirit Awards for Andrea Hart's Best Debut Performance. With interesting editing by Tula Goenka, Emily Gumpel and Robert Tate and with the use of its music, both classical and original, Miss Monday is as highly independent in its concept as it is in its delivery of this personal and tragic saga.
Poor Roman may have writers block but Miss Monday is a highly imaginative and entertaining made movie, it really is a shame that it has not, as it should rightfully be, more appreciated to a wider audience, both for its originality and for its understanding of the complex and fragile human psyche.
Smart, intense
Jacob-94 November 1998
Miss Monday is a disturbingly intelligent look at the pains of life that exist behind closed doors. What plays as a stalker/voyeur film turns into a startling and significant realization about the pain and suffering many people endure and hide from the world. The film is as honest and painful as one might hope when indulging into the core of its voyeur's subject.
Benson Lee and Crew Delivers
Honey-da10 December 1998
A tasteful resurrection of a lost generation of Progressive Independent Filmmakers and Storyliners who realise the importance of fusion in all aspects of Film-making systems. Comedy clashes with Self-Inflicted Cruelty. A thinking flick designed to manufacture further meditation on the subject matter. Who are these guys and when do I get to see this Film again? (Only showing in Hawaii: Hawaii International Spring Film Festival) Aloha
Seamless storytelling, tickles the voyeur in all of us. Brilliant!
KT-1026 October 1998
1998 Sundance Film Festival award winning "Miss Monday" transports us to a state of mind we all want to deny, but need to see. The director, Benson Lee, makes us laugh with some comedy, then slams down a serious and sensitive subject on our heads. This extreme change of emotions is what creates the overall ambience of the movie. The main character is brilliantly acted by Andrea Hart, and sexy James Hicks' Roman is our guide in this movie full of powerful emotions and seamless storytelling. Absolutely brilliant.
My personal favourite for 1998 (so far).
Lynchead24 November 1998
impossible to categorize; moving, brilliant
moggy-426 March 2001
The individual or the type?
Nozz6 March 2001
Strongly and admittedly influenced by Polanski, the writer-- in this film featuring the writer of a film featuring the writer of a film-- enters an abject little world fraught with the possibility of violent confrontation at any moment. He is following a wise-sounding credo that tells him that by deeply portraying the individual he will reveal the type (but try to portray the type and you will reveal nothing). Does he succeed? Or does the credo, by which he hopes to portray the type, lead him ironically to a revelation of the individual?
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