Film Review: Blonde (USA 2022) – The Life of Marilyn Monroe

Content:  In this podcast, we talk about Andrew Dominik’s film “Blonde” about Marilyn Monroe. We discuss the controversial portrayal of Monroe's life, including her marriages and struggles with addiction and mental health. We praise Ana de Armas' performance as Monroe, but criticize the gritty and detailed nature of the film, which we find visually appealing but potentially depressing.  Plot:  "Blonde" traces Norma Jeane Mortenson from a turbulent childhood marked by an absent father and unstable mother to her transformation into the iconic Marilyn. The film examines her fame’s toll—exploitative relationships, marriages to Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller and battles with addiction and mental health.  Through a surreal lens, it juxtaposes her glamorous public image with a private spiral of despair, ending in her 1962 overdose, blending historical events with provocative, imagined depths of her anguish.