Blonde Movie Review: Ana De Armas dives deep into Marilyn Monroe's tragic life which will leave you emotionally drained
Blonde Movie Review: Straight up, there is nothing pleasant about Marilyn Monroe's life as depicted in Blonde, now streaming on Netflix. It lays bare the tragic life of a shining Hollywood star, who was, after all, a sad and lonely soul. It is amazing, at times inspiring, to see the grit of this woman, facing one adversity after another from a tender age, as she makes it big in showbiz, only to lose it all in the end. Blonde's intention is to present Monroe as she was. How faithful this account is to her personal life is debatable. But the truth of what it takes to make it big in an industry against odds will surely baffle you. The movie keeps on throwing lead star Ana De Armas into one bleak situation after another, trying to extract every bit of empathy she can offer to Monroe. The actress has done a good job of shouldering the film and despite a long runtime, it is interesting to see her shift gears.
Monroe's biopic Blonde is more of a dream and the visual imagery conveys this from the very start. Monroe was battling abandonment issues, having been disowned by her father in early childhood, and later when she was forcefully separated from her mother due to her mental illness. What follows next is a desire to be accepted and loved.
Even though Monroe was desired by all, she was loved by none. The weight of the deep-seated loneliness in her life has been beautifully carried around by Armas. There is underlying anxiety in her expressions, one that does not let her be at ease with her surroundings. Mostly, when the director Andrew Dominik shot Armas, there is a shallow depth of field as the character gets more and more isolated and pushed against the wall.
The movie is about Monroe and her sufferings and Armas, it seems, has done a good job at the character study. Her fears are palpable and at times gush forth and become ours. Monroe's story may not resonate with everyone but the hardships she faced in building a career will surely ring true for most of us. The background music from Nick Cave and Warren Ellis is situational and lends a haunting tone to the movie.
Monroe keeps addressing her first husband as 'daddy', but even he abandons her after her nude photos come to light. Monroe's inability to keep even a single relationship in her life healthy and loving was not just driven by her mental health issues but has also been partly attributed to her public image.
Is it fair for us to pass judgment on her life choices? The movie puts forth this pressing question. Monroe's life is on a downward spiral since the beginning of Blonde. It is tonally dark and more of a mood than a movie. There are many choking moments that will stick with you after the first viewing.