My Week with Marilyn (2011) review

She was, and probably still is, the most famous woman in the whole world. She was a cultural icon and the quintessential American sex symbol, and even though her career was cut short in 1962 at just the age of 36 with her death, she is still remembered even to this day and has influenced many. But who was the real woman behind the persona of Marilyn Monroe, the most famous woman in the world? That is explored in 'My Week with Marilyn', a glimpse at Monroe's life during production of the 1957 film 'The Prince and the Showgirl' and is based off of two books written by the third assistant director of the picture, Colin Clark. The film explores the magical week that he allegedly spent with Monroe and how he became her confidant and ally. While we may never truly know if this really happened, this is a terrific film that takes a look at a side of Monroe that we rarely see. Top that off with Michelle Williams' outstanding performance as Monroe and you have a winner.

Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne), an aspiring filmmaker, lands a job as the third assistant director of Sir Laurence Olivier's (Kenneth Branagh) new film, 'The Prince and the Showgirl', which Olivier directs and stars in alongside Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Williams). However, once production on the film starts, things start to become a nightmare for Olivier as Monroe is constantly late to the shoot each day and has trouble remembering her lines, often requiring assistance from her acting coach Paula Strasberg (Zoe Wanamaker). But despite the increasing tension on set, that does not stop others from admiring Monroe, including Olivier's wife Vivian Leigh (Julia Ormond) and co-star Sybil Thorndike (Judi Dench). Soon, Colin and Monroe start to bond and as the two of them start to grow closer, Colin sees a side of Monroe that no one ever sees and tries to help her when no one else does.

 

There is some debate over whether or not Clark's story really happened, but that really doesn't affect the movie at all. Instead of just being a straight-up biopic (which would have been a much more daunting project), director Simon Curtis instead focuses on one point in Monroe's life and explores a side of her that we've never really seen before. One can only imagine what it was like for her to be the celebrity that she was and how much pressure it must have been for her and this film shows how she was a woman who just wanted to be loved for who she was, and Clark is just the person to do that, being someone who saw her as more than just the 'icon' and someone that she could trust. The film also does a nice job at showing not just the relationship between Clark and Monroe, but also Monroe with Olivier as well. The two of them represent different styles of acting; Olivier the old-school Shakespearean trained actor and Monroe the up-and-coming star from America.

But the biggest reason to watch this film is because of Michelle Williams' performance as Monroe. She nails the part so well that most of the time you forget that she's not really Monroe and that is the best thing that anyone can do when playing a famous person. Williams truly does capture the spirit of Monroe without fail. The rest of the cast is also superb. As Laurence Olivier, Kenneth Branagh brings a presence to the role that only someone who is considered to be the 'next Olivier' can do. Eddie Redmayne also makes a solid impression in what can pretty much be called his breakout film role (I won't count 'Les Miserables' at this point). There's not a single bad performance from the entire cast, although some, including Emma Watson as Lucy, a wardrobe assistant who Clark has a brief romantic relationship with, and Dominic Cooper as Monroe's business partner Milton H. Greene, are somewhat underused.

 

In the end, while the story behind 'My Week with Marilyn' may or may not be true, it is still a fantastic film for a different reason. It's a film that doesn't try to glorify Marilyn Monroe because, after all, history has already done that for us. Instead, it takes a look behind the scenes at the woman that she really was. There really was more to her than most people ever knew, and this film explores that side of her perfectly. But really, this film wouldn't be as good as it was if it wasn't for Michelle Williams as Monroe. If you need any more proof as to why she's one of the best actresses working today (apart from her other work), just watch this film because her performance alone carries the film and you really have to hand it to her for being so dedicated in capturing the essence of Monroe.

Rating: 4.5/5