This wouldn't usually be my first choice of film although my mom really wanted to watch it and so I thought I might join the family and watch it with them. I was mostly interested to see this film, due to the fact that i knew it had received real critical acclaim upon its release in 2011. I must admit that I was I glad I did to.
The film Basically tells the story of how a 3rd producers assistant came to grow fond of the the magical Hollywood actress, Marilyn Monroe. I felt that the strong performances from Eddie Redmayne and the rest of the star studied cast helped towards the believable nature of the film, however for me the stand out performance was from Michelle Williams; who you could tell had taken alot of time out to study Marilyn. She had picked up on everything from her movements to her soft and gentle voice. A truly awesome performance.
Everybody's favorite 'muggle' wizard also made an appearance, however this time Emma Watson isn't playing the feisty now it all bookworm from the Harry Potter series but in fact is a props designer at pinewood studios; who in some ways is Marilyn's polar opposite, she represents the strength and courage of women within a male dominated industry.
Looking at the film as a whole however, I felt that the subject matter did not have enough substance, or at the very least the subjects that were there, did not feel emphasized enough for me to warrant commendation. You had Marilyn's mood swings, the relationships between different characters and the rigorous work ethic of Marilyn's method coach all wrapped into one film, with none of these themes making a punctual enough appearance. As far as the films composition goes I felt it could have been put together with a bit more care.
The Locations and the 1940's back drop was portrayed perfectly with a good mix of working class environments and top quality living. One of the highlights being the trip to Windsor castle, It is an impressive estate which I felt they showed in a truly charmingly British light. As I set eyes upon some of the locations, I could just imagine the kind of excitement the location managers must have felt when trying to scout for these places.
-Summary-
Overall then I would say this film portrays a perfect mix of controversy, manipulation and deceit, all wrapped around the strong relationships formed and lost to marilyns magnetic allure.
Watch the trailer here!!
I would give this film 9 Pops: