Sete Dias com Marilyn

I attended an advance screening of "My Week With Marilyn," and much to my surprise, was absolutely blown away. I was initially very reluctant to accept Michelle Williams as Marilyn, one of the most beautiful and glamorous women of all time, but she was extraordinary - luminous, even. She pulled off the role seamlessly, and turned Ms. Monroe into a layered, complex character, rather than the sex-kitten caricature we are all so used to seeing. Michelle managed to show us the real Marilyn - the woman who so desperately wanted to be loved, to be accepted, to be good at her job. The vulnerability, the mannerisms, the voice - all were pitch perfect. I have no doubt there will be yet another Oscar nomination in Michelle Williams' near-future.

I was also very impressed by Eddie Redmayne, who's character was arguably the heart of the film. He was excellent as the star-struck yet sensitive Colin Clark, who helped Marilyn through her very difficult time on the set of "The Prince and the Showgirl." This was definitely a star-making turn for Eddie - I expect we'll be seeing much more of him.

The movie is similar in tone to "The King's Speech," and was helped by a beautiful score and wonderful costumes. Director Simon Curtis, who devoted eight years of his life to this project, did a wonderful job capturing the essence of 1950's England. The wardrobe department deserves a nomination, as do the writers. Kenneth Branagh was superb as Laurence Olivier, as was the great Judi Dench as Dame Sybil.

All in all, one of the best films I've seen this year, and definitely the best (not to mention most authentic) portrayal of Marilyn ever to hit the silver screen. I couldn't have been more impressed.

'My Week With Marilyn' had much going for it, considering the cast pedigree and the subject. It is always hard making biographical dramas of actresses known for their beauty or portraying the actresses themselves, as evidenced by the wildly variable executions of how well they come off or not.

Whether it is a completely truthful account of Marilyn Monroe's life at this chapter of her life or not was never going to cloud my judgement of how to rate and review 'My Week With Marilyn'. What mattered much more was how the film fared on its own two feet, and 'My Week With Marilyn' fares mostly very well and is beguiling stuff. Not one of the greatest biopics ever made (in a list that includes 'Amadeus' and 'The Elephant Man') but generally of the portrayals of actresses known for their classic beauty it's one of the better-faring ones.

By all means, there are flaws. The direction can be rather blandly workmanlike and there is too much of a heavy-footed feel that jars with the lightness of the material itself. The film has a tendency to drag in the more intimate scenes with Monroe and Clark, which does suffer from occasional disjointed-ness, some trite moments and lack of chemistry at times.

Julia Ormond is also badly miscast as Vivien Leigh, it is a very phoned in and indifferent performance that anybody not familiar with the actress herself but is aware of her reputation will question her appeal, she is also somewhat too healthy-looking (but also not beautiful enough) for a woman plagued with physical and mental health problems in her later years. To a lesser extent, Dominic Cooper struck me as too young and doesn't have much to do to really register.

However, 'My Week With Marilyn' looks wonderful. The production and costume design were among the most visually exquisite and evocatively designed of that year, the period is perfectly evoked that it's like you've been transported back in time and are actually there and it's a beautifully shot film (not as incredible of that for 'The Tree of Life' and 'Hugo' but close). The soundtrack brilliantly and beautifully captures the mood of the film, it's sensitively composed without being too low-key and never intrusive or too made for television. It's also evocative of the period.

Not everything in the script works, there are some trite and disjointed parts but they are far outweighed by the very thought-provoking, funny and sincere ones, it's fluff but very charming fluff. The storytelling drags occasionally, but is also very entertaining and heartfelt with the scenes with Monroe and Laurence Olivier being particularly intriguing and well done.

Ormond aside, the acting is very good. Michelle Williams allures and completely captivates as Monroe herself, blending a sultriness, childlike lust and a darker and more destructive nature seamlessly. She matched by Kenneth Branagh's spot-on Olivier, being hilarious, sympathetic and believable in his exasperation, Judi Dench's splendid Dame Sybil and Zoe Wanamaker's gleefully scene-stealing and wonderfully stern turn. Dougray Scott has been criticised by some, personally had little problem with him, and there is much more of a resemblance to him as Arthur Miller than Ormond as Leigh, other than his American accent being overdone.

Eddie Redmayne gives a very sensitive portrayal in a role deliberately not written as interestingly as the rest, as, despite being the film's heart, he is not the film's focus and was never intended to be as meaty as Monroe or Olivier.

On the most part, 'My Week With Marilyn' was very worthwhile and beguiling. Well worth the time, as long as watched as a film on its own two feet and not as a history lesson. 7/10 Bethany Cox

"My Week with Marilyn" is entertaining and sufficiently well done to interest anyone who remembers her story. But those who have some exposure to the literature she has generated should be impressed by the way the film manages to represent so many of the very different views there are about her. Was she a smart, predatory woman in control of her persona and milking it for all she could get? The sad addicted victim of her handlers? An ordinary woman looking for love and happiness derailed by her own star quality? The movie represents all of these views and refuses to settle the question. The writer and director are to be congratulated for resisting the temptation to come down on a particular view.

I liked this movie, it was a non-judgemental re-telling of a slice of history. I thought the performances were all very good by the leading characters. I have no idea what the real Marilyn was like and I don't think many people do, but Michelle Williams character is a more than plausible interpretation, vulnerable at times, manipulative at others, who really knows where the reality lies, but there was something for everyone's interpretation. The movie did a good job of depicting that moment in time and transporting the audience there for a couple of hours. I guess it is every man's fantasy to have this opportunity, so the story is a satisfying one for any man who has ever wondered what the real Marilyn may have been like.

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN – CATCH IT ( B+ ) A young Colin Clark remembers the time he has spend with Marilyn Monroe during the filming of "The Prince and the Showgirl". The movie is told through the eyes of Colin Clark and how he sees Marilyn and her estrange relationship with the director/actor Laurence Olivier. As the movie is only about some of days Colin Clark spends with Marilyn, we don't get to see the whole drama inside her life but I must commend Michelle Williams for her stellar portrayal of Marilyn because it's her performance that takes you deep into the mind of Marilyn rather than the script itself. Michelle Williams's hardcore study on her character shows in the movie and she deserved her Oscar nod. Eddie Redmayne is impressive as always but over the years I've noticed that Eddie is always good but never really leaves a strong impact. I've seen him several movies so far but he wasn't that memorable in them. Kenneth Branagh is simply superb. Julia Ormond and Dominic Cooper are alright in their parts. Emma Watson did a decent job out of Hermione, even it was a small role but it was defiantly good to see her spreading outside Harry Potter franchise. Overall, My Week with Marilyn is a good movie and Michelle Williams's performance is worth watching. Highly Recommended! P.S I would love to see Michelle Williams reprise her role as Marilyn Monroe in Marilyn's autobiography if Hollywood decides to make one.