Blonde: The Controversial Marilyn Monroe Biopic That's Taking Netflix By Storm
When Andrew Dominik's Blonde premiered on Netflix in September 2022, it immediately sparked intense debate among critics, audiences, and film enthusiasts worldwide. This bold reimagining of Marilyn Monroe's life, starring Ana de Armas in a transformative performance, pushes boundaries and challenges viewers with its unflinching portrayal of Hollywood's golden age icon.
The film, based on Joyce Carol Oates' 2000 novel of the same name, takes a fictionalized approach to Monroe's life and career, blending historical facts with imaginative speculation. While some praise its artistic vision and de Armas' stunning portrayal, others criticize its graphic content and departure from historical accuracy. Regardless of where you stand on the controversy, Blonde has undeniably left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape.
The Making of Blonde: From Novel to Screen
Blonde represents over a decade of development, with director Andrew Dominik working tirelessly to bring Joyce Carol Oates' dense, 738-page novel to life. The book itself is a fictionalized reimagining of Marilyn Monroe's inner life, written in a stream-of-consciousness style that proved challenging to adapt for the screen.
Dominik's screenplay takes significant liberties with Monroe's story, focusing on her psychological journey rather than strict biographical accuracy. This approach allows for a more intimate exploration of the icon's inner turmoil, but it also raises questions about the ethics of fictionalizing a real person's life, especially one as scrutinized as Monroe's.
The film's production was marked by controversy even before its release. Its NC-17 rating, the first for a Netflix original film, sparked debates about censorship and artistic freedom. The rating was primarily due to explicit sexual content and nudity, which Dominik argued was necessary to portray Monroe's experiences authentically.
Ana de Armas: A Star-Making Performance
At the heart of Blonde is Ana de Armas' mesmerizing portrayal of Marilyn Monroe. The Cuban-Spanish actress underwent an extensive transformation to embody the Hollywood legend, spending hours in hair and makeup to recreate Monroe's iconic look.
De Armas' performance has been widely praised by critics, with many calling it the best of her career. She captures Monroe's vulnerability, charisma, and inner turmoil with remarkable nuance, bringing depth to a character that has often been reduced to caricature in other portrayals.
However, de Armas' casting was not without controversy. Some critics argued that a Latina actress should not play Monroe, while others defended the choice as a testament to de Armas' talent and the universal nature of Monroe's story.
A Fictionalized Account of a Complex Life
Blonde presents a deeply fictionalized account of Monroe's life, blending historical events with imagined scenarios. The film explores themes of childhood trauma, exploitation in Hollywood, and the price of fame, painting a picture of Monroe as a perpetual victim of circumstance and the male gaze.
The movie's narrative structure is non-linear, jumping between different periods of Monroe's life and blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. This approach allows for a more psychological exploration of the character but can be disorienting for viewers expecting a traditional biopic.
One of the film's most controversial aspects is its portrayal of Monroe's relationships, particularly with the Kennedy brothers. The movie depicts these encounters in graphic detail, pushing the boundaries of what's typically shown in mainstream cinema.
The Price of Fame: A Central Theme
Throughout Blonde, the concept of fame and its toll on Monroe's psyche is a recurring theme. The film portrays Hollywood as a predatory industry that chews up and spits out its stars, with Monroe as its ultimate victim.
This interpretation of Monroe's life aligns with the "tragic icon" narrative that has long surrounded her legacy. While there's truth to the idea that Monroe struggled with the pressures of fame and the exploitation she faced in Hollywood, some critics argue that Blonde takes this narrative to an extreme, reducing Monroe to a passive victim rather than acknowledging her agency and resilience.
The film also explores the creation of Monroe's public persona, showing how the star was often at odds with the "Marilyn Monroe" image crafted by the studio system. This tension between Norma Jeane (Monroe's birth name) and Marilyn is a central conflict in the movie, highlighting the psychological toll of living as a public figure.
Critical Reception: A Polarizing Film
Blonde has been one of the most polarizing films of recent years, with critics and audiences divided on its merits. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 42% critic score but a 37% audience score, indicating a general dislike from both camps.
Critics who praised the film commended its artistic ambition, de Armas' performance, and its unflinching portrayal of Monroe's struggles. The Hollywood Reporter called it "a cinematic masterpiece," while Variety described it as "a powerful, if deeply flawed, work of art."
However, many critics were less kind, with some calling it "exploitative" and "misogynistic." The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw gave the film a scathing one-star review, describing it as "a miserable, vacuous, pretentious and profoundly misogynistic film."
The Impact on Monroe's Legacy
Blonde has reignited debates about Marilyn Monroe's legacy and how her story should be told. While the film is a work of fiction, its high profile and Netflix's wide reach mean that it will likely shape how many people perceive Monroe for years to come.
Some Monroe fans and historians have expressed concern that the film's fictionalized account will be mistaken for fact by viewers unfamiliar with the star's real story. They argue that Monroe's legacy deserves more nuanced and historically accurate portrayals.
On the other hand, supporters of the film argue that it offers a valuable exploration of the psychological toll of fame and the exploitation of women in Hollywood, themes that remain relevant today.
The Future of Biopic Storytelling
Blonde represents a bold new direction for biographical films, prioritizing psychological truth over historical accuracy. This approach raises interesting questions about the nature of biopic storytelling and the responsibility filmmakers have to their subjects.
As streaming platforms like Netflix continue to invest in high-profile biopics, we may see more films that take similar liberties with historical facts in pursuit of emotional or thematic resonance. This trend could lead to more innovative and artistically ambitious biographical films, but it also risks further blurring the line between fact and fiction for audiences.
Conclusion: A Film That Demands to Be Seen and Debated
Whether you love it or hate it, there's no denying that Blonde is a film that demands to be seen and debated. Its controversial content, stunning performances, and bold artistic choices have cemented its place in the cultural conversation.
As viewers, we must approach Blonde with a critical eye, recognizing it as a work of fiction inspired by real events rather than a factual account of Marilyn Monroe's life. By engaging with the film's themes and controversies, we can gain a deeper understanding of Monroe's enduring legacy and the complex relationship between fame, art, and exploitation in Hollywood.
Blonde may not be the definitive Marilyn Monroe biopic, but it is undoubtedly a significant entry in the ongoing cultural dialogue about one of Hollywood's most iconic figures. As the debates surrounding the film continue, one thing is certain: Marilyn Monroe's story, like her legend, remains as captivating and controversial as ever.
