Blonde (2022)
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A fictionalized account of the life and career of American actress Marilyn Monroe explores the woman behind the iconic persona.
The story
Based on the 2000 novel by Joyce Carol Oates, the film presents a fictionalized account of the life and career of American actress Marilyn Monroe. The story follows Norma Jeane Mortenson from her childhood in the 1930s, where she is raised by a mentally unstable mother, through her rise to fame as a pin-up model and actress in the 1940s and 1950s. As she becomes a global icon, the narrative explores the growing disconnect between her public persona and her private identity, culminating in her complex relationships and the personal toll of fame in Hollywood.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film follows Norma Jeane Mortenson from her childhood in 1933, where she survives a traumatic upbringing with her mother, Gladys. In the 1940s, she becomes 'Marilyn Monroe,' a pin-up model and actress who faces exploitation and complex romances with figures like Cass and Eddy. Her career peaks with films like 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' and 'Some Like It Hot,' but she struggles with her identity and the pressures of fame. She enters a tumultuous marriage with Joe DiMaggio, then marries Arthur Miller in 1955. By 1962, she is struggling with substance abuse and a sense of isolation. The film concludes with her death in 1962, where she is depicted as a woman lost in the machinery of Hollywood, ultimately overdosing on barbiturates while envisioning her father in the afterlife.
- First release year
- 2022
- Runtime (minutes)
- 166
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Andrew Dominik
- Writers
- Andrew Dominik · writer
- Cast and characters
- Ana de Armas · Marilyn Monroe; Adrien Brody; Bobby Cannavale; Xavier Samuel; Julianne Nicholson
- Genres
- psychological drama; biographical drama; romantic drama
- Themes
- identity; fame; exploitation; feminism
- Tone and mood
- dreamlike; disturbing; surreal
- Premise and plot tags
- biopic; historical fiction; non-linear
- Source material / true-story basis
- the 2000 novel by Joyce Carol Oates
- Content notes
- sexual abuse; abortion; miscarriage
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics and audiences, with praise for Ana de Armas's performance but criticism regarding the screenplay and the portrayal of Monroe's life.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 42% · scale: percentage · review count: 318; Metacritic · score: 50 · scale: 100 · review count: 57
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Actress · nomination; BAFTA Award · Best Actress · nomination; Golden Globe Award · Best Actress · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film features a 14-minute standing ovation at its premiere.; It is the first NC-17-rated film to be released exclusively to a streaming service.; The film uses a variety of aspect ratios and alternates between color and black and white.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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