There has been plenty of talk about Ana de Armas casting as Marilyn Monroe for Andrew Dominik’s Blonde. Even before the movie premiered, some criticized the choice (due mostly to her accent), while others praised Dominik’s decision. During the Venice Film Festival, the actress received a 14-minute ovation for a performance that has been consistently praised. Thoughts on the film, however, have proven to be more divisive, receiving mixed reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently holds a 48% rating.
While critics and audiences may be on the fence about the new film, Academy Award winner Adrien Brody (who portrays Arthur Miller) has nothing for praise for the director’s efforts. In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter that took place earlier this month, Brody called Dominik, a “beautifully brave director.” Blonde is a fictionalized account of the starlet’s tumultuous life, told from her perspective. The constant victimization of Monroe in the film has led some critics to label it exploitative. Discussing the film’s divisiveness, Brody told the Hollywood Reporter:
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Becoming Arthur Miller
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Arthur Miller was a playwright who was best known for penning Death of a Salesman and The Crucible. The Pulitzer Prize recipient met Monroe in 1951. In 1956, he left his first wife and wed Monroe. The two divorced in 1961. Brody wanted to honor Miller and ensure that his portrayal of the “complex, thoughtful, intelligent” playwright was as true to Miller as possible. About preparing for the role, he said:
“You know, the novel and the film are both rife with themes of exploitation and trauma. And Marilyn’s life, unfortunately, was full of that. I think that since it’s told in this first-person perspective, it works somehow for the film to be a traumatic experience, because you’re inside of her — her journey and her longings and her isolation — amidst all of this adulation. It’s brave and it takes a while to digest. And I think it’s in conflict with what the public’s perception of her life is. And I think that’s where the film triumphs, because — whether it’s an extreme depiction or not — it’s honoring the extreme chasm between the public’s perception of the fame and the glory of Hollywood’s most famous, iconic actor, and the reality of that individual — the loneliness and emptiness and mental turmoil and abuse of that individual. And so, therefore, I find that those two interpretations you laid out are all part of the storytelling, and I see where Andrew is going with it. It’s fearless filmmaking.”
In addition to de Armas and Brody, the film stars Bobby Cannavale and Julianne Nicholson. Blonde is based on the acclaimed Joyce Carol Oates novel of the same name and is produced by Brad Pitt’s production banner Plan B. The NC-17 film is currently streaming on Netflix.
" I did a ton of research on his life and their relationship. Andrew informed me of many details that were pretty fascinating, even though the film doesn’t even really touch on any of those things directly. But we tried to get a close understanding of where he was at in his career during the time he spent with Marilyn. I just felt a profound responsibility to honor him, you know. That’s basically what it comes down to."
