Aileen Wuornos: An American Boogeywoman is a worthy addition to the collection of visual media based on her life. While other films and documentaries have focused on Aileen’s serial killing spree from 1989-1990, this piece highlights her earlier life.

Looking to leave behind her traumatic upbringing, Aileen heads to the Sunshine State (Florida) in 1976. Not long after her arrival, she meets Jennifer (Lydia Hearst), the daughter of wealthy yacht club manager Lewis Fell (Tobin Bell). Upon meeting Lewis, Aileen (Peyton List) wastes no time and charms the older man, who proposes marriage.

What could have been a chance for Aileen to turn her life around quickly becomes a downward spiral full of deceit and crime. The film showcases how her early life severely impacted her ability to develop trusting relationships with others. Viewers are shown how Aileen was troubled from the beginning, and lived her “new” life in a combative stance, using others to meet her needs.

We’re given a deeper glance into her past during a brief interaction with her estranged brother, and due to some digging by Fell’s lawyer. As a viewer and someone fascinated by the psychology behind serial killer behavior, I enjoyed this peek into Aileen’s past, and would’ve liked to see even more. Going further back into her childhood would probably include so much material that it might be a whole movie in itself, so I can understand why there wasn’t more included.

There were several aspects of this film that contributed to its entertaining ability, including how the story was framed. At the beginning, we see an older Aileen, on the eve of her execution. As part of a documentary, she decides to provide a new story that the public hasn’t heard, and sets down the path of sharing about her marriage to Lewis Fell. This was an engaging way to begin and end the film.

The score and the addition of visually stimulating material during the beginning (artwork/animation) and ending (real photos of Aileen with associated facts) credits also add to the film.

Some true crime stories can become lost in the shuffle when the acting is not solid, but this cast did a great job. Peyton List was believable in the role of Aileen, and while she showed a great deal of Aileen’s combative behavior, it was balanced by some more vulnerable moments in which she didn’t seem such a monster. It was also refreshing to see Tobin Bell in a different type of role.

I’d recommend Aileen Wuornos: An American Boogeywoman to fans of the true-crime genre, as it is suspenseful and entertaining. It also gives a deeper glimpse into Aileen’s motivations and while the focus is on her behavior, the victims are not lost in the shuffle. Sometimes serial killer documentaries and films can glorify the killer’s actions while forgetting about the victims, but this film had a nice balance. It was engaging and also left me with enough lingering curiosity to seek out more information on the story of Aileen’s life.

7 out of 10