Blonde (2022)
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Why watch this film?
From director Andrew Dominik ("This Much I Know to Be True"), "Blonde" is not exactly a biopic of the legendary Marilyn Monroe, but rather a biographical fiction based on the eponymous novel by Joyce Carol Oates. As such, both in the novel and in this cinematic adaptation, there is a considerable "poetic license" with the facts. However, the novel attempted to paint a psychological portrait of the former Norma Jeane Baker, portraying (in broad strokes) the main aspects that marked her difficult life and the painful price she paid for becoming perhaps the greatest celebrity of the 20th century. However, it must be warned: despite a truly masterful performance by Ana de Armas, as well as a beautiful soundtrack composed by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, Dominik's film blatantly falls into exploitation of its protagonist, exalting her suffering and failing to represent other aspects of her life. It may work as an entry point into the myth of Marilyn Monroe (but there are definitely others better). Read more about it in our review. Or click here to find out what's true or false in the movie.
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Based on the bestselling novel by Joyce Carol Oates, Blonde is a boldly reimagined fictional portrait of one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons, Marilyn Monroe.
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From the same director
This Much I Know to Be True
Directed by Andrew Dominik ("The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"), this documentary is a companion piece to his previous production, "Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Again, but with Feeling" and, thus, an essential piece for the musician's fans. The narrative of 'This Much I Know to be True' explores the friendship between Cave and his collaborator Warren Ellis as they prepare for the first performances of the albums 'Ghosteen' and 'Carnage' in Spring 2021, after a long season where the musicians spent much time away from the stages and their audience due to the pandemic. The directing and music are sublime, but what truly makes this documentary powerful is the musician's emotionality, the lessons he shares, and the general optimism of the production.
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