Review of Blonde (2022) Starring Ana de Armas: An Exploration of Marilyn Monroe's Life Story

Blonde is a daring and often controversial take on the life of Marilyn Monroe, directed by Andrew Dominik and starring Ana de Armas in a performance that has captured widespread public and critical attention. Based on Joyce Carol Oates' novel, the film doesn’t adhere to a traditional biographical structure but instead offers a haunting, fictionalized account of Monroe’s life, focusing on the dark and tragic aspects of her story. It is a meditation on the price of fame, the destructive forces of Hollywood, and the emotional toll of being both an icon and a woman in a world that demands perfection.

Marilyn Monroe's Life Story: The Myth vs. the Woman

Marilyn Monroe's life was one of glamour, but also immense pain, public scrutiny, and personal struggles. Born Norma Jeane Mortenson, Monroe’s rise from a troubled childhood—marked by neglect and foster care—into one of the most famous and beloved stars of all time is a narrative that has often been simplified into a rags-to-riches story. However, Blonde does not shy away from exploring the complexity and tragedy beneath the public image of Monroe.

Blonde delves deep into the emotional scars that haunted Monroe, showing how her fame often exacerbated the pain she endured in her personal life. The film portrays her as a woman caught in a cycle of exploitation, unable to escape the relentless demands of Hollywood and her own fractured sense of self. This is a stark contrast to the glamorous, seductive persona she became known for. In many ways, the film seems more interested in deconstructing the myth of Monroe than celebrating her life. The Guardian notes, "In this version of Monroe’s story, the line between fact and fiction is blurred, leaving us with a tragic portrait of a woman consumed by the fame she both craved and despised."

Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe

At the center of Blonde is Ana de Armas's breathtaking performance. She brings a raw vulnerability to Monroe, capturing the emotional and psychological fragmentation that marked the actress’s life. De Armas channels the tragic complexity of Monroe, showing how the star was both empowered by her fame and devastated by it. The Hollywood Reporter describes her portrayal as "transcendent," saying that de Armas "finds the aching soul beneath Monroe’s iconic persona."

While many reviewers have praised de Armas’s acting, the film’s interpretation of Monroe’s life has raised questions. Variety remarks that the depiction of Monroe as a victim of the system, particularly her relationships with men, sometimes reduces the complexity of her experience. Monroe, in reality, was a woman who struggled to maintain control of her narrative and her career, often at odds with the very industry that made her a household name. Blonde, however, focuses heavily on the trauma she endured, from her troubled childhood to her abusive relationships and her struggles with mental health, which has sparked debate about the ethical boundaries of telling such a deeply painful story.

The Real Marilyn Monroe: A Life of Contradictions

In exploring Monroe's life, Blonde also addresses the contradictions that defined her persona. Monroe was both an object of desire and a woman constantly fighting to be taken seriously as an actress. She was a sensitive, intellectual woman who struggled with her public image as a "dumb blonde" while also navigating an industry that often saw her as little more than a commodity. Her multiple marriages, turbulent relationships with men, and career struggles are depicted in the film, but Blonde doesn’t just show Monroe as a victim—it also illustrates her internal battles, her efforts to assert herself, and her search for identity beyond the screen.

While Monroe's fame was built on her beauty and her performances in films like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Some Like It Hot, Blonde portrays the emotional toll it took on her. The film explores her inability to escape the harsh scrutiny of the press and the overwhelming expectations placed upon her as a star. In The New York Times review, the film is described as "a tragic exploration of the human cost of celebrity," illustrating how Monroe’s persona became inextricable from her real self, leaving little room for her to exist outside of the image that the public and the studios demanded of her.

A Dark Portrait of Hollywood

Blonde is not just a retelling of Monroe's life; it is a reflection of the dark side of Hollywood itself. The film critiques the exploitative nature of the entertainment industry, showing how Monroe’s body and image were used for profit, often at the expense of her well-being. Her relationships with powerful men—ranging from studio heads to presidents—are depicted with a sense of cynicism, as the film questions the price of fame in a world that thrives on the exploitation of women.

Andrew Dominik’s direction is as haunting and daring as the subject matter. Blonde is visually striking, with a rich black-and-white aesthetic that frequently shifts to vivid color, accentuating the dreamlike quality of Monroe's world. The film is at times surreal, bordering on avant-garde, using imagery and symbolism to convey the emotional and psychological states of Monroe. IndieWire describes the film as "a stunningly bold exercise in style and experimentation," but cautions that the imagery can at times feel overly oppressive. The nonlinear storytelling and fragmented narrative reflect the disjointed nature of Monroe's own experiences and psychological struggles.

The film’s exploration of trauma and the destructive nature of fame is unsettling. The tone of Blonde veers toward the nightmarish, with Dominik opting for an unflinching portrayal of Monroe's personal anguish. The Guardian notes that "the film’s treatment of Monroe as a tortured figure often feels exploitative," raising questions about the ethics of depicting such a well-known figure's pain in such a raw and unsparing manner.

Criticism of the Film's Approach

While Blonde is undeniably ambitious, the film's treatment of Monroe has sparked significant controversy. Critics have been divided on whether the film's focus on Monroe’s trauma is respectful or sensationalistic. Some, like The New York Times, argue that Blonde fails to offer a new or insightful understanding of Monroe’s life, instead presenting a version of the star that feels as commodified and manipulated as the tabloids that once stalked her. Others, like Empire, have praised it for its raw, uncompromising vision, calling it "a risky and unforgettable film that demands to be seen, for better or for worse."

Conclusion: A Complex Legacy

In the end, Blonde is as much about Marilyn Monroe’s life story as it is about the myth of Marilyn Monroe. The film deconstructs the icon, offering a portrayal that is both mesmerizing and disturbing. While Ana de Armas’s performance is universally praised for capturing the emotional depth of Monroe, the film’s approach to her life has been divisive. Some critics see it as a necessary, though uncomfortable, exploration of the darker aspects of Monroe’s life, while others feel it exploits her suffering for dramatic effect.

As Rolling Stone aptly puts it, "Blonde is a provocative, difficult film—one that asks us to reconsider our perceptions of the woman behind the myth." Ultimately, Blonde may not provide the answers fans of Monroe’s life have been searching for, but it does offer a haunting, if flawed, meditation on the complexities of fame, identity, and the enduring legacy of one of Hollywood’s most tragic icons.

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