My Week with Marilyn (2011)

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  TheMovieDiorama

  8 / 10

  My Week With Marilyn showcases how powerful Monroe really was. Perhaps not in the sense of authority, but her ability to be the most important person in a room. On a stage, down a street or even waltzing through a school, everyone knew who she was. Her acclaim and beauty was able to captivate everyone. And yet beneath the surface was a troubled young woman where the pressure of work and Hollywood drove her to depression and doubting her own self-belief. Her inexperienced training and method acting contrasted with Laurence Olivier's more traditional and thespian approach, I thought that was conveyed well. If you wanted to watch a film about Monroe's psychological decline, unfortunately this is not the film (although I think it would've benefitted exploring that route). This focusses on the difficult production of The Prince and the Showgirl and the sweet innocent love between third assistant director Colin Clark and Monroe. It's a story that is much about him as it is Monroe. Director Simon Curtis was able to capture the fragility and inevitable heartbreak that one goes through when attempting to pursue their first love. There is a thought provoking line towards the end that reads "our first love is such sweet despair" and is extremely apparent here. This is an actor's film, and what I mean by that is the acting is the primary method of captivation. No visuals, no divisiveness...just outstanding acting. Michelle Williams exhumed elegance and definitely transformed herself to not only look like Monroe but vocally sound like her. It was breathtaking to watch. Eddie Redmayne and Kenneth Branagh were both excellent also and the wealth of British talent was wonderful to watch. I appreciated the narrative to be presented in a cheery and more delightful manner, it makes the experience more uplifting and classy. Whilst I would've liked the exploration into Monroe's depression and addiction to drugs, alcohol etc. I did think the story itself was enthralling enough to be adapted. It's brief, it's concise and it's lovely to watch.

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