Film Review: "My Week With Marilyn"

"My Week With Marilyn" is based on two books written by Colin Clark, a young man who was able to spend time with Marilyn Monroe during the filming of Laurence Olivier's "The Prince and the Showgirl." The film attempts to present a side of Marilyn Monroe that the world never knew, showing her as a very insecure and lost woman desperately trying to find her way in the world of Hollywood, despite being much less talented of an actress than those around her. The problem, though, is that once the film establishes Monroe in this way, there really isn't much more to the story. It essentially becomes a young love romance as Colin (Eddie Redmayne) falls in love with Marilyn (Michelle Williams) during their brief time together, despite warnings from everyone involved on the production of "The Prince and the Showgirl" to stay away from the starlet.

While I didn't find the story particularly compelling, this film does contain some fantastic performances. Williams is absolutely brilliant as Marilyn, though as I said she isn't presented as a very compelling character. But Williams does an absolutely wonderful job with what she's given and captures the essence of the character perfectly. Kenneth Branagh is a scene-stealer as Olivier, a married man who all but openly states his intentions of romancing Monroe...only to become hopelessly frustrated with her when she can't deliver a competent performance in front of the camera. As in all movies about Hollywood, several well-known movie stars appear as characters in the film, which for me is always fun to see. Olivier's wife Vivien Leigh (played by Julia Ormond) makes an appearance, as does Dame Sybil Thorndike (Judi Dence in another scene-stealing role). Monroe's husband-at-the-time Arthur Miller also shows up, though I absolutely did not recognize Dougray Scott in the role.

While it doesn't present a particularly compelling story, "My Week With Marilyn" does have some great performances, and it's a fun enough look back at old Hollywood. It's an entertaining enough diversion, but it's not a film that's going to make any great waves over time.

"My Week With Marilyn" is rated R for some language.
Running time: 99 minutes.
Released domestically on November 23, 2011, by The Weinstein Company.
2.5 stars out of 4.