Marilyn Monroe is one of the few pop culture icons that can transcend generations and somehow become even more revered as time goes by. Quite simply, Monroe has come to represent the quintessential idea of beauty, charisma and charm.
However, what’s often ignored is the troubled, timid and self-doubting side of Monroe that was desperately hidden from the public eye. In director Simon Curtis’s newest film “My Week With Marilyn”, a simple love story artfully reveals the pain behind the beautiful face.
“My Week With Marilyn” captivated me from the beginning. Instead of first focusing on Monroe, played by Michelle Williams, the audience was introduced to Colin Clark, played by British actor Eddie Redmayne, a young man dying to get in the movie business. His boyish charm and enthusiasm drove the story along, effectively anticipating the arrival of Marilyn.
Although this movie is full of well-known, highly celebrated actors, including Kenneth Branagh, Dame Judi Dench and Emma Watson, Michelle Williams dominates the film. Marilyn’s essence is captured through Williams’s vulnerability and charm. In this film, glimpse of Monroe’s abnormal schedule is seen and her atypical approach to acting through the production stage of “The Prince and Showgirl.” Williams is successfully able to portray the anguish and fear of Marilyn that very few were witness to.
Although this is the first feature film for director Simon Curtis, the way he was able to complement the other actors with the stand-out role of Marilyn truly showed his skill. For example, Redmayne portrays Colin Clark as energetic, but naïve and in search of something at the same time, which perfectly mirrors Marilyn herself.
Truthfully, the script, the cinematography, the directing and even the plot didn’t really matter as much. Michelle Williams as Monroe certainly did matter. In fact, I believe it to be one of the most important roles this year and is sure to attract many nominations come award season. It would be impossible to ignore how well she reveals Monroe as outgoing yet timid, and adored yet pitied. With this film, it is quite possible have the most multi-faceted portrayal of the true Marilyn Monroe.