By Kaylin Guzman
Netflix’s newest film presents a narrative of Marilyn Monroe that I have never seen before. Armed with conspiracy theories and exaggeration, “Blonde” shows Marilyn Monroe in yet another fictional narrative. Ana de Armas plays the Hollywood heartthrob well, delivering a vulnerable Norma Jeane but also one that is cold and indifferent towards her counterpart Marilyn Monroe.
The movie is based on the novel “Blonde” by Joyce Carol Oates, who states her book is fiction, not a biography. Throughout the movie, we see moments that are permanent in the media landscape. Marilyn Monroe had a significant impact on Hollywood and continues to do so.
Director Andrew Dominik and his crew created a unique piece for Netflix. Switching between black and white to colorful scenes proved to be confusing, though. At first, I thought clips in color were based on documented events, showing how Marilyn or Norma Jeane experienced that moment in her life. I soon realized, however, that some of the black and white scenes were documented events, trying to emulate the photography of the time. After a while, I noticed there were fictional scenes using both techniques.
Dominik also chose to maintain a specific aspect ratio throughout. It effectively let itself fit into the era it was presenting. It was also less confusing than changing from color to monotone scenes throughout the movie.
There were very sensitive moments throughout the film that can trigger some. We see Norma Jeane go through many traumas throughout her career as Marilyn Monroe. There is child abuse, sexual assault, abortions, and domestic abuse. I do not know which events happened to Monroe, but they show that behind the scenes, a Hollywood starlet is also human.
One of the more impactful scenes of the movie is towards the end. A high Marilyn Monroe attends an event where she encounters fans and the paparazzi. If you pay close attention to the men in the crowds, their faces are slightly exaggerated and disfigured. It is a subtle detail but an effective one to display what headspace the actress could have been in at that moment.
Many have criticized the film for disgracing the image of many important figures from the era, from Monroe to her alleged lover and former U.S. President John F. Kennedy. We watch an uncomfortable sexual encounter between the supposed lovers. The president forces Monroe to perform oral sex on him while he discusses other sexual assault allegations on the phone. Joe DiMaggio, the actress’s second husband, hits Monroe in a fit of jealousy. All the men in the film could be seen as manipulative, abusive, and shady, allowing their images to be tainted.
In my opinion, there should have been a disclaimer at the beginning of the film. One that tells the audience that the book is not based completely on the star’s life. The film should have also stuck to being monotone or colorful. Throughout the whole three-hour film, I find myself more preoccupied with trying to separate fiction and fact, instead of focusing on the narrative being presented. Netflix’s “Blonde” lacked in the technical department, but the story it told was unique.