MOVIE REVIEW: BLONDE

 

A look at the rise to fame and the epic demise of actress Marilyn Monroe, one of the biggest stars in the world.

Director: Andrew Dominik

Cast: Ana de Armas, Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale, Xavier Samuel, Julianne Nicholson

Release Date: September 16, 2022

Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance

Rated NC-17 for some sexual content

Runtime: 2h 46m

Review:

Marilyn Monroe is one of those cultural icons whose story has been told ad nauseam by this point.  Tackling this subject matter requires that a director makes the well worn material feel fresh and interesting.  Andrew Dominik's film Blonde does this by delivering a glossy, visually impressive horror show that feels more like Passion of the Christ than Baz Luhrmann's Elvis.  Dominick's film relishes in delivering scene after scene of pain and torture to it's central subject.  There's nary a sequence that doesn't involve some sort of degradation, trauma or abuse piled on.  Its a disquieting and unsettling exploration of the starlets life which leaves the character with very little agency or depth outside of her PSTD as she's beat around like a platinum pinball.  Ana de Armas, for her part, is fully committed to the role and delivers an impressive performance even with the razor thin characterization she's given.  Armas captures the breathy woman child persona with relative ease even though her Cuban accent does manage to  peak thru a handful of times.  The script gives her painfully few moments for Armas to delve deeper into the character's inner turmoil much less any semblance of happiness.  The character is written and played as a gorgeous punching bag beaten to a bloody pulp on multiple levels by the time the film ends.  Blonde isn't the biopic for fans of the iconic actress, instead it's more like an arthouse horror show.  

D

MOVIE REVIEW: I, TONYA

Tonya Harding rises through the ranks of competitive figure skating only to find disgrace when her husband tries to eliminate her rival.

Director: Craig Gillespie

Cast: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Julianne Nicholson, Caitlin Carver, Bobby Cannavale, Allison Janney

Release Date: Dec 8, 2017

Genres: Biography, Drama, Sport

Rated R for pervasive language, violence, and some sexual content/nudity

Runtime: 1h 59 min

Review:

I, Tonya is a solid biopic that overcomes some of the story’s drawbacks with stellar performances from the cast.  Craig Gillespie keeps his film interesting by framing the film as a pseudo documentary with interviews spliced through the entire film.  What we get are 3 unreliable narrators who weave together a story stranger than fiction even as it occasionally veers into high end Lifetime movie territory.  That’s not to say it’s not intriguing as it touches on themes of tabloid fame and illusion of the American Dream.  At its center is Margot Robbie in the titular role.  Robbie presents Harding as a doggedly determined individual who can’t reach the summit because of a variety of reasons even if some are not entirely her fault.  Underneath it all, there’s a frayed and broken person who is looking for acceptance and love.  It’s an impressive performance that’s topped off with a silence sequence of Robbie looking into the mirror running a gamut of emotions before the climatic performance at the Lillehammer Olympics.  The supporting roles played by Allison Janney and Sebastian Stan are just as strong with each leaving a lasting impression.  Allison Janney gives the cinematic world another legendary evil mother to pantheon of evil mothers.  It’s an engaging and arresting performance that just as strong as Robbie’s.  Sebastian Stan’s turn as Jeff Gillooly equally impressive as he disappears into the role, he captures the mannerisms and vocal inflections perfectly.  The film builds to the final act where we’re witness to the bumbling cast of characters that lead to the attack on Nancy Kerrigan and the subsequent aftermath.  It’s all anti climatic since we all know how the story ends but watching this collection of actors deliver top notch performances is the real treat.

B+