Marilyn Monroe was a public figure who represented a lot of things to a lot of people.
For many, Marilyn Monroe was an icon of the 1960s sexual revolution and a sex symbol of The Golden Age of Hollywood during the 1950s. Needless to say, however, Marilyn Monroe had a tragically tough life which led to her early demise at the age of just 36 years old.
Many people remember Marilyn from her public relationships with baseball great Joe DiMaggio and her Infamous affair with then-President John F Kennedy. Monroe was very much one of the first tabloid stars of her time, a precursor to the celebrity of the modern era.
There are a lot of questions going into the film ‘Blonde’ were asking if this film could do the story of Marilyn Monroe Justice. One of the questions was about the film’s lead star Ana de Armas, a Cuban actress playing the role of Monroe.
The biggest concern that many had was the fact that Netflix is distributing the movie. We have seen Netflix butcher many properties over the last few years such as their adaptations of Cowboy Bebop and Resident Evil. Outside of a few exceptions, the platform doesn’t have the best track record in terms of quality.
Fortunately, writer and director Andrew Dominik is in charge of this project he delivers one of the most heart-wrenching and emotionally disruptive portrayals of Marilyn Monroe we have seen to this date.
‘Blonde’ is a story about the upbringing of Monroe, from the torturous days of her living with her mentally unstable mother to the early days of her becoming a Starlet in the Classic Hollywood System.
The story of this film digs into how much of a disturbed individual the character of Marilyn Monroe was versus the real-life Persona of Norma Jeane. ‘Blonde’ digs deep into the trauma that she suffered through multiple parts of her life. Revolving around her father who abandoned her at a young age as well as multiple abortions and miscarriages that she suffered as a victim of the Hollywood System.
Planned Parenthood has since come out and labeled this ‘Blonde’ a “pro-life movie” due to its depiction of how powerful men forced Monroe to get an abortion against her will. Because she shows regret for giving up her child to remain an actress, Progressives have attacked this film for going against the narrative of shouting and celebrating your abortion in public.
Another angle that will rub progressives the wrong way watching this film is the fact that the movie spends a large portion of its run time focusing on the traumatic downfall of Norma who spent her entire life struggling to deal with the abandonment of her father. A point that will draw ire among the crowd who don’t believe in traditional family units.
To your average human who is not a sociopath, it is hard not to sympathize with a character who was used by every man that she ever came across in her life. A victim of the trojan horse known as Fame. The film excels at capturing that trauma making an audience sympathize with the main character and feel for her story at a human level.
Ana de Armas is amazing in the role of Marilyn Monroe and truly pours her heart and soul into the emotional betrayal of the character. ‘Blonde’ Is an exceptionally well-acted film that excels under the direction of Andrew Dominik crafting a character study with a beautiful artistic direction.
The biggest problem with the film which is undeniable is the runtime. 166 minutes and you certainly feel the runtime deep into the 3rd act of the movie. Blonde can be an exhausting ride for those who are suffering those 3 hours of borderline misery porn but the colorful aspects of filmmaking are too much to ignore in a project of this magnitude.
Many people who have this idea of who Marilyn Monroe was in their minds it will likely not be receptive to a film that smashes that fantasy. Blonde is a sad and beautiful experience worthy of one of 2022 best efforts of the year.
3.5/5
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