Tuesday, February 21, 2012

My Week with Marilyn


I never met Norma Jeane Mortenson or as the myth says, the one character she became when there was a camera in front of her. I have seen all her movies, including the very last one when I was a kid and was not supposed to be in the theater as movie was for adults only; but I was there. I probably had a crush as I couldn’t understand how in the big screen there was someone so beautiful. Suddenly I stopped watching her movies and she became a souvenir as many I have inside my brain. That’s it until I saw this movie.

I am impressed as saw Marilyn Monroe, not the actress, not Norma Jeane, but a Marilyn that surely is fictitious but so credible, so Marilyn that makes you feel for her and her particular troubles while filming the movie with none other than great Lawrence Olivier as this is also a movie about a movie with a few (nice) distractions about the life of young Colin Clark in his first ever film related job.

After watching The Iron Lady and hating the film I was really concern as this one is also a BBC production that many have spoken not nicely about it. Well, let me say that film is normal, what I can call a regular BBC production BUT film becomes mesmerizing, intriguing, emotional, puzzling because the beyond extraordinary performance by Michelle Williams. Williams is SO good that she has my vote for Oscar as her performance and portrait is by far the best of all nominated actresses. I know Marilyn is a Hollywood icon and the conservative Academy members will not dare to give Williams the Oscar for portraying Marilyn; but she will get it for this role and many more that she will do in the future, I know.

I assure you that if you have no expectations and you know Marilyn from her movies you have to enjoy this simple (not-complex), direct (not-layered), story about a young man that “helped” her to overcome the rejection she felt from Lawrence Olivier, who insisted she acted just like him, while she acted just like her and both had very different styles.

I do recommend the movie but I have seen many BBC productions so I’m very familiar with their particular “seal” or style and this movie doesn’t escape from it, which I believe is not bad (au contraire is good) is just that is not a flashy production even when tells about a very flashy American actress. Have to praise performances by great Judi Dench, Julia Ormond, Emma Watson, Toby Jones and most of all Kenneth Branagh that also did a credible (yet surely fictitious) Lawrence Olivier.

Watch movie, don’t skip it, it’s worth watching for the awesome Michelle Williams performance, truly spectacular. Bravo Ms Williams.

Big Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC

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