I have to start by saying that Michelle Williams was
astonishing as Marilyn Monroe--absolutely astonishing. Her mannerisms, her movements, and
especially her vocal inflection were downright pitch-perfect.
My Week With Marilyn is
based upon Colin Clark's books about his time spent with the iconic Marilyn
Monroe while on the set of The Prince and
the Showgirl. Although stacked
with wonderful performances by most of the cast, the film itself was choppy as I
had trouble connecting with many of the supporting players.
Eddie Redmayne was not great at getting the audience to side
with Clark, but Williams was simply amazing at showing the audience her vulnerable
side. We think Marilyn is crazy
sauce and yet we feel incredibly sorry for her at the same time. She was never a great actress, but she
did have the ridiculous ability to be completely herself in front of the
camera, and it loved her for it. Clark says to her at a high point of the film:
"Olivier is a great actor who is trying to be a film star, and you're a great
film star trying to be an actress." The film does a great job at showing her
deal with this dilemma.
Kenneth Branagh gives a stellar performance as Olivier---his
reactions to Williams's doe-eyed, soft-spoken rendition is nothing short of
perfection. I just wish the writing
and overall execution matched Michelle Williams's brilliance. I recommend My Week With Marilyn the way I would
recommend an art museum. Go in,
appreciate what it looks like, but don't expect it to give you anything in
return.
