The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster (2023) | Film Review

If I am being honest, Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein is a wonderful book with far too few quality adaptations. Most films and TV shows seem to miss the point of it all (familial responsibilities, grief, obsession, and science going too far), and focus on the horrific elements instead. Director Bomani J. Story, adapting from his own script, seems to clearly understand the assignment with his debut feature, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster.

Vicaria (Laya DeLeon Hayes) is a brilliant teenager trapped in a vicious circle of violence. Growing up in a poverty-stricken community, Vicaria has approached adulthood surrounded by death. It’s everywhere. It took her mother, most recently her brother Chris, and as the grief swells around her addict father, Donald (Chad L. Coleman), it’s coming for him too. But Vicaria believes she can treat death, as she sees it merely as a symptom of a disease to be cured, and she is well on her way.

After a powerful opening narration, we see what Vicaria has been working on. She maintains a secret abandoned building where she houses dead body parts (her neighborhood refers to these random missing bodies as the work of “The Body Snatcher”). Sadly, the dead are in abundance within her vicinity, a point Vicaria largely attributes to local gang leader Kango (Denzel Whitaker). Thankfully, Story’s script doesn’t bog down the proceedings trying to explain how Vicaria got here. We just hit the ground running knowing death is overwhelming both Vicaria and the neighborhood she loves, and that this genius teen has unlocked the code to bring the dead back to life.

Of course, once she achieves the impossible, Vicaria is forced to deal with the ramifications of her choices. Her monster escapes, and Vicaria quickly realizes the price for playing God, as “Chris” is not the same brother she lost. He is confused, dangerous, and quick to violence. What ensues is a tale of horror, but also family, grief, and the loss of innocence.

Bomani J. Story delivers an impressive debut, and The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster is far deeper than the title nor the Frankenstein backdrop implies. Story is a sharp filmmaker in that – whether it be due to intent or simply budget constraints – the focus is never quite clear on the monster at hand. This demonstrates the “Jaws effect”, meaning the less clear vision of the monster we have – an enigma or shadow where only glimpses are absorbed as he glides through the housing complex – the more terrifying our imagination paints him. Both Story’s script and direction open the door to a filmmaker who deserves an immediate grander canvas. I personally cannot wait to see what he does next.

As for the actors, the standouts are easily Chad L. Coleman and Laya DeLeon Hayes. Coleman almost single-handedly steals the entire film with the most powerful scene where a teacher scolds and punishes his daughter’s incessant questioning of established methodology with a bellowing, soulful plea of every parent everywhere to just “TEACH!”.

That scene aside, the film ultimately belongs to Laya DeLeon Hayes. Vicaria is our mad scientist (which her neighborhood affectionately calls her as well), and Hayes has zero difficulty carrying the film on her back. At times, Vicaria is sardonic, empathetic, infuriating, charming, and even a little arrogant. Ergo, she’s a doctor in training. She is put through the gamut during this endeavor, and the talented young actress tackles each aspect with remarkable skill.

Using a topical backdrop to offer a timely update of the Frankenstein motif, with the director’s own spin, this is a film that stands on its own two feet. Not only does it establish Bomani J. Story as a filmmaker to watch, but The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster ends as one of the greatest reinventions of the Frankenstein mythos in eons.

Listen to our full review of Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse on this episode of The Hollywood Outsider podcast: