A Monster with a Thousand Heads

Name: A Monster with a Thousand Heads
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Released: May 11, 2016
Duration: 74 min
Rating: 71

2016

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 6 Ratings

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8.2

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8.2	User Score Universal acclaim based on 6 Ratings

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A Monster With A Thousand Heads (US)

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Movie Details & Credits

Music Box Films | Release Date: May 11, 2016 | Not Rated

Summary: When Sonia receives the news that her husband’s cancer has progressed to a terminal stage, she races to secure the insurance company approval for the care that can help him. Met with indifference and negligence at every turn, Sonia’s desperation triggers a primal survival instinct as a series of increasingly violent confrontations unfold.When Sonia receives the news that her husband’s cancer has progressed to a terminal stage, she races to secure the insurance company approval for the care that can help him. Met with indifference and negligence at every turn, Sonia’s desperation triggers a primal survival instinct as a series of increasingly violent confrontations unfold. [Music Box Films]… Expand

Director: Rodrigo Plá

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 74 min

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Critic Reviews

100

RogerEbert.com Godfrey Cheshire

May 12, 2016

The movie deserves to be known, first of all, as a terrific example of intelligent, captivating film craft—further proof of the recent strength of Mexican cinema. Read full review

Mike D'Angelo

May 10, 2016

It’s worth seeing just for its object lesson in how shifts in perspective can radically alter the tenor and meaning of material that might otherwise come across as pompously silly. Read full review

Michael Rechtshaffen

May 19, 2016

Although the title might suggest cheesy sensationalism, A Monster With a Thousand Heads serves as a sobering, all-too-relatable indictment of the bureaucratic Hydra that is the medical insurance industry. Read full review

Lee Marshall

May 9, 2016

It’s a nice premise, one grounded and lent empathy not only by a series of strong performances but by the script’s point-of-view shifts. Read full review

Guy Lodge

May 9, 2016

Tempering the strong medicine of its social-justice protestations with a streak of outlandish melodrama, this “Monster” may not have quite as many facets as its title implies, but Pla’s formally deft manipulation of perspective keeps the pic both urgent and even-handed. Read full review

Boyd van Hoeij

May 9, 2016

This is a lean and efficient mix of thriller, drama and socio-political commentary. Read full review

Clayton Dillard

May 9, 2016

The politics of the film are consistently muddled by director Rodrigo Plá's conspicuous formal choices. Read full review

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LeZee

Sep 9, 2016

A bold attempt to fight the flawed system.

A Mexican thriller-drama based on the novel of the same name. A theme about fighting a defect in the health insurance policy by an ordinary middle-class family. I had no idea of what this film is about, in the last minute I decided to watch, notA bold attempt to fight the flawed system.

A Mexican thriller-drama based on the novel of the same name. A theme about fighting a defect in the health insurance policy by an ordinary middle-class family. I had no idea of what this film is about, in the last minute I decided to watch, not even knowing about the storyline or its genre. But intrigued by its honest narration. The depiction in the film might not how in the real world happen, yet it uncovers what the desperate people can able to do if they were not treated fairly. You should not judge it by its cover, I mean its low rating and bad reviews. It is a much better film with a message.

The film ran nearly 75 minutes, which is shorter than an average film length, but it revealed everything it wanted to tell the viewers in a bold attempt. One of the realistic films I have ever seen that dealt with the real world issue in an unconventional way. The story of a middle aged wife Sonia, whose husband is very ill and completely depending on the insurance to cover the bills, but the company refuses to pay. So her quest commence to convince them and when she realises it is complicated, in the desperation she takes an alternate route to handle the situation. The following events are unexpected, powerful, before emotionally concluding.

"Next time, we'll rob a bank, okay?"

It is not about the corruption, but still fits in that category. In the end how you take it all matters. It started off like a slow drama, the developments were failed to impress me until the first 20 minutes. Surprised by the series of events came after that. The mother and son fighting the system their way when there was no option left, or maybe going through the legal proceeding might cost the time and life of the patient. They knew their position, and they did what have to be done at that point without thinking the consequence.

It is definitely an interesting take, the writer might have inspired by the real poor people's struggle to access the health insurance benefits, especially in the developing countries. So she added some extra contents to the screenplay (book) where the characters in the story can fight the bureaucracy and to make the story appeal its audience. The film was awesomely made, though there was no money making agenda behind it. The actors, particularly the one as Sonia was amazing, she could convince the viewers the character she played or the story are not fake. And then often, the gunfire sounds suddenly changes the environment in the film to pick up the pace like we do hit the refresh in our computer.

That one night event where most of the story takes place was looked some kind of undercover operation by the media. But the camera angles to cover the other side of some of the scenes were smart enough to pour in more interesting stuffs to us to stick with it. This film can't be watched for entertainment or to gain inspiration from unlawful act that shown in it, but it's set to deliver its own message. I don't think anybody would regret watching it, because it is short and sweet and the topic of the film is alone worth a watch. There are some full male nude scenes, but they were unintentional. Other than that it is a good film for everybody, especially for the grown ups I suggest.

7/10… Expand

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