My Week with Marilyn

Movie Name: My Week with Marilyn

Year of Release: 2011

Director: Simon Curtis

Stars: Michelle Williams, Kenneth Branagh, Eddie Redmayne, Julia Ormond, Dominic Cooper, Judi Dench, Emma Watson, Michael Kitchen, Toby Jones, Dougray Scott, Zoe Wanamaker, Derek Jacobi, Philip Jackson

Genre: Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5

Synopsis:

Simon Curtis has made his career directing TV movies and several television shows for the BBC. His new feature "My Week with Marilyn" is again financed by BBC Films, and adapts a memoir/diary of Colin Clark. Colin was a production assistant on the set of Sir Laurence Olivier's "The Prince and the Showgirl" which featured a young Marilyn Monroe, then at the height of her popularity and with all the problems dealing with her fame and love life. Colin is a young man who becomes a confidante to the beautiful star, and between them both grows an intimate relationship of trust, that is severed when Marilyn finishes the film and goes back to her life in Hollywood.
"My Week with Marilyn" is a brief insight, seen from a distance to the world of Marilyn Monroe when she was in England shooting the film with Sir Laurence Olivier. Simon Curtis allows just a bit of insight as to why Sir Laurence invited Marilyn to be his co-star, and all of her insecurities and problems, when she was at the zenith of her fame. The film however never probes very deep to what is the real dynamics of Marilyn, or for that matter Colin or any of the other characters. The film is very slight in it's approach, never giving much depth and exploring any conflict. As is, it's an interesting illustration of a period that has gone by with a star that fascinated millions. The performances of Michelle Williams and Kenneth Branagh are fantastic, and for that alone the film is worth checking out.