Monster. Former music video and commercial director Anthony Mandler’s debut feature film tells the story of seventeen-year-old student Steve Harmon, who is already showing tremendous promise as a filmmaker. When Monster opens, though, he has just been arrested for his alleged involvement in the murder of a shopkeeper. Unsurprisingly, Steve struggles in prison, and as he prepares for his trial alongside his lawyer Katherine O’Brien, we see his vivacious personality crumble and be replaced by anxiety. All the while, the film dives into Steve’s backstory, focusing on his relationship with his parents, his various friends and enemies in Harlem, and his camaraderie with his film teacher Leroy Sawicki.