First, I will say that Ana de Armas gives a luminous performance in this film as Marilyn Monroe/Norma Jean Baker. You can't take your eyes off her. Unfortunately, the rest of the film frustrated me. First, by starting the narrative in Monroe's childhood and completing it at her death, the film's length meant it skipped over major events in her life. There have been numerous books and films depicting the life of Marilyn Monroe. This one chose to show Monroe's emotional issues as being related to her never having known her father, and then spending her life trying to impress him. This certainly could be a cause of many of her emotional problems, not to mention her tendency to marry older men successful in their own right, but the film was a bit heavy-handed with this theme (for instance, having her call both father-figure husbands "Daddy"). Another cinematic device overused here is the dreamy fantasy sequences, some of which starred Monroe's unborn babies. She either miscarried or aborted 3-4 children (I got a bit lost on this point). Other plot points were confusing, as they were thrown in with little introduction or explanation. For instance, they depict a three-way relationship (which was both friendly and sexual) between Monroe, Edward G. Robinson, Jr. And Charlie Chaplin Jr., (known as Cass). These two men also had huge Daddy issues with their famous fathers.
Bottom line: probably worth seeing if you are a devoted Monroe fan because of the star turn by de Armas, but those who aren't will likely be confused by the amorphous plot.
Note for parents: This film is NOT suitable for children due to explicit nudity and sex.
Bottom line: probably worth seeing if you are a devoted Monroe fan because of the star turn by de Armas, but those who aren't will likely be confused by the amorphous plot.
Note for parents: This film is NOT suitable for children due to explicit nudity and sex.
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