Blonde

Blonde

From her volatile childhood as Norma Jeane, through her rise to stardom and romantic entanglements, this reimagined fictional portrait of Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe blurs the lines of fact and fiction to explore the widening split between her public and private selves.

  • Released: 2022-11-11
  • Runtime: 120 minutes
  • Genre: Drama, History, Mystery
  • Stars: Ana de Armas, Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale, Garret Dillahunt, Julianne Nicholson, Sara Paxton, Toby Huss, Scoot McNairy, Rebecca Wisocky, Catherine Dent, Sonny Valicenti, David Warshofsky, Evan Williams, Xavier Samuel, Ned Bellamy, Caspar Phillipson, Lucy DeVito, Michael Masini, Spencer Garrett, Chris Lemmon, Dan Butler, Lily Fisher, Colleen Foy, Haley Webb, Brian Konowal, Tatum Shank, Andrew Thacher, Alexander Kanellakos, Dominic Leeder, Lidia Sabljic, Isabel Dresden, Skip Pipo, Tyler Bruhn, Ravil Isyanov, Tim Ransom, Judy Kain, Time Winters, Rob Brownstein, Danielle Jane Darling, Mia McGovern Zaini, Rob Nagle, Emil Beheshti, Jeremy Shouldis, Ethan Cohn, Steve Bannos, Mike Ostroski, Deana Molle', Danielle Lima, Christopher Kriesa, Eric Matheny, Jerry Hauck, Scott Hislop, Dieterich Gray, Kiva Jump, Patrick Brennan, Chris Moss, Ryan Vincent, Brian Konowal, Eden Riegel, Tygh Runyan, Vanessa Lemonides, Michael Drayer, Claudia Smith, Mary-Pat Green, Ron West, Flynn Pratt, Scott Wilder, Sal Landi, Seth Meriwether, Darrin M. Schlie, Julián Rebolledo, Allan Havey, Tereza Rizzardi, Mia McGovern Zaini, Garret Dillahunt
  • Director: Andrew Dominik
 Comments
  • suliemanmalik-17954 - 25 May 2024
    6/10, due to its weirdness.
    "Blonde" is a deeply unsettling film, diving into the tragic life of Marilyn Monroe, or Norma Jeane. Its portrayal of Monroe's struggles, punctuated by harrowing scenes of rape and a child's drowning, paints a haunting picture of her tormented existence. The film's relentless focus on trauma and exploitation, rather than her resilience or talent, can feel overwhelmingly bleak. Ana de Armas delivers a compelling performance, but the film's graphic content and relentless misery make it a challenging watch, more an endurance test than a tribute. It's a stark, unflinching exploration of fame's darkest corners, not for the faint-hearted.
  • mateoradovan - 20 January 2024
    Good movie, with few unnecessary scenes.
    This movie was supposed to be a big hit. The great director with an immaculate actress about the most famous person on the planet. It turns out to be a mix of confusing timeline, stories, and scenes. I personally liked the movie. I did. Ana de Armas did incredible job portraying Marilyn Monroe. From the beginning till the end. She was studying 9 months for the role of her, and it shows. I like the music especially at the end. Artistry of Dominic and his team really shows at cinematography, music, the cast, and production but not at the actual storytelling. Even though this movie was made based on the 2000 novel "Blonde" by Joyce Carol Oates, which is a fictionalized account inspired by the life of Marilyn Monroe, not an actual biography, the movie should have different meaning and approach then it has. Few seriously unnecessary scenes, including the infamous scene with JFK, it just makes look both Ana, Merilyn and JFK look bad. I give it 7 for the performance of Ana, the cinematography and music. Could've been done better.
  • afuschiaperfume - 23 November 2023
    WHAT IS THIS??
    I liked certain characters, and parts of the cinematography, but on the whole, it was extremely perverse, degrading, and slanderous. If this is the modern model for filmmaking, then all hope for future cinema is lost. Hollywood has truly blurred the lines between great pictures and adult films, in fact, they are the same based on this feature. Just that this one makes a weak attempt at a story and has more of a budget than the typical adult film. I suppose Ana was decent but, it was overdone for my taste, but she was truly beautiful as Marilyn and convincing I suppose, but she was not Norma, from what I have seen and read, but I don't fault her for that she was just the vessel for someone's mess.
  • michaelmcmillan-17771 - 4 January 2023
    A gut wrenching tale that should have never been told
    Blonde is a confusing blend of tragedy and heartache though the life of the infamous Marilyn Monroe. There are points where this story can become very powerful to watch but at many points it just feels like this is a story that should have never been told or seen

    There is definitely moments where there is a coherent plot as you go through memories of Monroe's life. However, it is incredibly challenging to pinpoint the exact direction that the entire movie is supposed to be taking as well it feels that every plot point is left incredibly open ended Plot:1.25/2

    Ana de Aromas is fantastic actor but I don't feel like this is her role or anyone's in the films role to shine. While everybody in the film does a great job with the material they are given, it is just so incredibly weak that it feels incredibly hard to get behind their performances of these real life people. The weak material does not allow anyone to shine and show how truly these people should be portrayed Acting:1.5/2

    This story, If you can even call it that, is a total mess. There is absolutely no way you can tell what you are supposed to watching who you are supposed to be rooting and what is the reasoning behind any of it. Weather it is a biopic about the life of Monroe or a take on the daddy issues of Monroe, neither story is told well or even feels like it should be told at all Storytelling:0.75/2

    While biopics can only be so creative, the way the movie is shot and filmed definitely has its creative moments. The moving from black and white to color as well as some of the camera are one of the very few things that draw you into this movie. They are the only creative points that make this movie even somewhat watchable Creativity:1.25/2

    The other factors that end up enhancing this film are certainly the camera work and cinematography as both are unique in the ways in which they present certain story arch. Form the movement from real life to reality, these stories are important and I throughly did enjoy the ways in which they used the camera work to portray them even if felt like they should have never been portrayed in the first place Other Factors:1.5/2

    Overall, this movie is an absolute train wreck and frankly a disservice to an icon. Monroe's troubled life should have never been into film especially in this regard and it is because of this that it makes it incredibly challenging to enjoy the movie as all you do the whole time is absolutely terrible for Monroe at every turn Overall:6.25/10.
  • elliesue-34484 - 29 December 2022
    Insensitive
    Let Marilyn be.

    This movie does nothing but show her in pain, being used and sexualised and nothing more.

    I'm sure people will argue that the acting is brilliant or whatever but the base line is it's horrible for the memory of one of the greats from the golden age of Hollywood.

    This movie reinforces every stereotype and horrible thing every made up about her.

    It feels anti-abortion aswell, giving her unborn foetus a voiceover? I mean come on. She is infantilised and sexualised beyond belief (not even including the made up scene where she visits the president basically as a human blow up sex doll)
  • Otaku_Theory - 20 December 2022
    It's a Lynchian masterpiece, gentlemen
    A masterpiece of the past 10 years, dare I say

    Im gonna read that Blonde 2022 book source material.

    It's made by the same director as The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford 2007. It has the same beautiful cinematography as that film but this time it's black & white.

    Ana de Armas who portrayed Marilyn Monroe is the best actress I've seen imo.

    Feels like Come and See 1985 cinematography POV style. Similar themes too.

    4:3 aspect ratio homage which adjusts to appropriate scenes. Nonlinear storytelling. This film isn't strict. It's fluid. Same Dream-like storytelling as David Lynch. It's Lynchian.

    Late 2010s American style done in a unique and fresh way imo.

    Feels like an artsy Japanese movie.

    Feels like a MV.

    Would this be considered a Transcendental movie?
  • kasratnkasra - 11 December 2022
    crystal clear
    That was the most pathetic movie i ever seen in my entire life In this movie all people are misogynist and just poor marilyn is good and victim All people are not bad and monroe was a hero not weak person Awful direct for example telephone scenes and at beach when Marilyn tripped and fell over A bad edit , i think editor used to work at wedding videography teams script was radio style and its not like a movie script exaggerate acting specially anna de armas BTW , begging for pity ? Is that what you see in marilyn monroe ? No she was better than that Whole cast just begging for awards and only award that you achieve is another dollar.
  • turbotrace-60220 - 30 November 2022
    Compelling but harrowing
    Yet another supposedly fictional biopic about Marilyn. There is much to commend it but also a lot which is wrong.

    Ana de Armas - her powerhouse performance has to be seen. It's heartwrenching, poignant and unforgettable. The sense of time is beautifully portrayed in the costumes and set decorations. The scenes where de Armas is playing opposite some of the greats of the past, is terrific.

    However it is an unsettling, torrid watch and at 2 hours 47 minutes, far too long. Some elements of the story are completely fabricated and unnecessary. The sadness of her life is well known - there's no need to embellish it.

    Glad I've seen it - wouldn't want to see it again.

    I hope de Armas is recognised come awards season.
  • dallasmcfly1987 - 15 November 2022
    Not gonna watch again
    Too much disinformation and stuff they shouldn't have shown. This should not be seen as the story of Marilyn's life because it's not. It's showing all the bad things (which some probably didn't even happen) and making Marilyn seem crazy which she wasn't. If you're a Marilyn fan I highly recommend not watching this, it will leave you disappointed. To be honest the only good thing about this movie was probably the costume design but other than that nothing was good about it. I'll probably never watch this again, it makes me mad to see Marilyn represented in this way, and I hope people who don't know much about her who watch this think it's the true story of her.