Blonde

Uncomfortable viewing, then, but also engaging, unbridled cinema that will prompt discourse and divide opinions.

Blonde is severe and serious-minded almost to a fault: you rather wonder how many viewers at home will soldier on to the end when it lands on Netflix after a limited theatrical release. In the cinema, though, it swallows you up like an uneasy dream, at once all too familiar and pricklingly unreal.

Once more, the filmmaker’s level of formal control is exemplary and precise, and his lead actress game for whatever comes her way. Only one can’t shake the feeling that all of it runs against the film’s ostensible message, that is another case of Monroe’s agency taken from her.

De Armas' dazzling screen presence is inarguable. But with a disjointed directorial eye and a messy script, de Armas is simply doing the best she can within the chaotic world of Monroe's life, but also the chaotic world the film itself forces her to be a part of.

Blonde is a maddening watch, a frustrating fumbling of the delicate tonal balance required to say what Dominik’s angling to say about his subject. It both condemns the conditions Marilyn suffered under while elevating it to the status of beautiful sacrifice. It’s demonstrably not a biopic, and yet its usage of a real-life figure, and the miseries she experienced, feels too cavalier to completely separate the two.

It’s a memorable performance in a film that wants to dazzle us with its trick bag of visuals but is rotten at its core.

If Dominik isn’t interested in or capable of understanding that Monroe was indeed more than a victim of the predations of men, it’s because, in this movie, he himself slipped into that wretched role.

I'm not sure what movie others watched for it to get this rating? I watch a lot of movies, all genres, but don't review often. Perhaps this was all a bit uncomfortable for some? I found this movie to be a poignant and all-too-common story. The fact that she was famous was almost secondary as I found myself reflecting on how utterly vulnerable she was. This movie did not look away. Congratulations, one of the best movies I've seen.

Andrew Dominik filmou dois filmes com propostas quase idênticas, mas seguindo sentimentos um pouco diferentes: enquanto em "This much i know to be true" (menos ousado, é verdade) a ideia é emocionar pela música, em "Blonde" o diretor tem um desafio maior, mas ainda assim ele não se desapegou nessa tentativa desesperada em nos fazer chorar, carregando sua câmera para captar emoções. É bem verdade que Ana de Armas dá conta do recado em fazer de Monroe uma estrela incompreendida, embora a montagem com a infância nos dê pistas desta inadaptação. A questão é que aqui o arco dramático é monotônico, forçando as lágrimas até o último suspiro. Ainda por cima, Ana de Armas se submete a cenas de sexo e drogas que podem pegar de surpresa quem espera um filme mais clean. Absolutamente tudo aqui parece ter sido feito para forçar o drama, sem espaço para alívios. Baseado em uma biografia, não sei até que ponto esse apelo ficou por conta da obra literária. Mas o fato é que assistir a tamanho sofrimento por quase 3 horas deixou o filme carregado demais. Mesmo na cena com Wilde, fazendo uma comédia, ou na famosa cena do vestido esvoaçante, tudo parece sugerir uma carga de tristeza quase desumana. Tá certo que a vida curta de Monroe, com a perda dos filhos e sua objetificação sexual não são temas que podemos considerar leves, muito pelo contrário. Mas no cinema é preciso criar uma sintonia necessária para não perder o interesse, e vemos o grande esforço de Ana de Armas para não cair no piloto automático devido à repetição da carga dramática do filme. Ela sobra em presença, a indicação ao Oscar está mais do que merecida, e o roteiro padece para entregar algo mais palatável.

Intense 'close up perspective view' psychological drama. Featuring multiple fictionalised scenes including forced sexual acts,violence,drug induced phsychosis, emotional trauma and mental breakdowns. It's unclear to me how much of the story is based on the real Marilyn Monroe. The cast are talented and there are some interesting ments of cinematography and soundscapes. Overall it lacked a certain cohesiveness and holds a mostly voyeuristic horror like 'fly on the wall' feeling where we are instead trapped with the titular blonde as she experiences scene after scene of something new and painful. A pretty depressing watch!

I understand the criticism of this film. It wants to try to rewrite history of what Marilyn Monroe went through. To be honest, it might be right. That's the nature of being a star. Of wanting to be a star. And it's extremely tragic that people, especially women, not just Marilyn Monroe if it was true, go through to become stars. And that is a true story. But why has to use Marilyn as the lead doesn't really make sense. For me, personally, I found it so tragic. Marilyn Monroe or not, it is tragic for anyone to go through what they do to fulfil their dream of being a star.

Ana de Armas does a great job with her performance and that’s pretty much all that’s good about this movie. Unbearably long and unnecessary. There are so many issues with it, but why? I don’t see the point of using Ms. Monroe for something like this… what’s the point?