From director Andrew Dominik and based on the bestselling novel by Joyce Carol Oates, ‘Blonde’ boldly reimagines the life of one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons, Marilyn Monroe. From her volatile childhood as Norma Jeane, through her rise to stardom and romantic entanglements, ‘Blonde’ blurs the lines of fact and fiction to explore the widening split between her public and private selves.
Blonde 2022 Movie Trailer
Blonde Movie Review
I eagerly sat down to watch the newest portrait of Marilyn Monroe, Blonde, on the day it was released on Netflix. I’m a gal obsessed with pop culture, so it was hard to contain my excitement as I nestled into my blue velvet couch at the end of a long workday. Give me fashion, glitz, and glam. I’ve seen countless Marilyn movies and read several books about her life. I was ready to be entertained. Instead, I had my heart ripped open and shredded into tiny pieces.
TRIGGER WARNING
Typically, when I write about trigger warnings on this website, it deals specifically with drug and/or alcohol use disorder. This film is rated NC 17, and for good reason. If you are a person who is sensitive to content that deals with abortion, sexual violence, and domestic abuse, then I encourage you to proceed with caution. The cinematography in this film is, at times, just as beautiful as graphic. It was not easy to watch, and it’s the kind of film, at least for me, that still impacts me over a week later. And to be honest, I’m not sure that’s a good thing. Several sites across the world wide web are calling this movie “Trauma Porn” because all it does is glorify and potentially exaggerate the trauma experienced by Marilyn while barely giving her any accolades for how hard she worked and fought to become the iconic and talented creature I believe she was.
The film is based on Joyce Carol Oates’s 738-page novel Blonde, initially published in the early 2000s. This movie clocks in at nearly three hours—that’s assuming, of course, you can make it through the first 20 minutes. As I watched the opening scene unfold for young Norma Jeane Baker, I remember thinking, “This is not what I thought I’d signed up for.”
Raised by a volatile and physically abusive mother, Norma Jeane is convinced that an unnamed movie star (presumably Clark Gable) is her absent father. This sets up the abandonment and daddy issues we see Marilyn battle with throughout the film. Additionally, the film is mixed with historical facts, some distorted, paired with decades of fictionalized rumors. Marilyn is sexually exploited throughout her career, starting early on with a rape scene with the head of the studio. It recounts her relationships, including a fictionalized throuple, two marriages, and through President John F Kennedy.
This movie crushed me.
Between her emotional struggles surrounding abortion, the rapes, and domestic violence, I clenched my fists and physically trembled at certain scenes. There was, of course, the infamous scene of Marilyn in the white dress on the sidewalk as the train below blows up her gorgeous, flowing gown. The details of that scene pierced my heart, and the line she delivered in what should have been her moment of glory gutted me like a fish. I sobbed for days. Weeks later, I could barely find the words to write this review.
I’ve pondered long and hard about sharing my experiences similar to Marilyn’s, and ultimately, I’ve decided this isn’t the right time and place for me to do so. But I will leave you with this…I am glad I ignored the reviews and gave this film my time. Yes, it was tough to watch. Yes, it has continued to haunt me for the last several weeks. And yes, I did find it incredibly triggering. But it also made me realize I still have a lot of work to do on my healing. My story is far from being over. A luxury that was taken from Marilyn far too early on in her short-lived life.
Emotional hangovers are no joke. The day after watching this film, I felt and looked like I was physically hungover. I found myself calling friends in my innermost circle to talk about the film and the feelings it stirred up inside me. With over 16+ years in long-term recovery, I’m no stranger to working hard on my recovery journey. I’ve done extensive 12-step work, therapy (group and individual), hypnotherapy, writing and journaling classes, and bible studies. I have poured over countless self-help books and memoirs. Will the day ever come when I will be utterly pain-free from my past? Probably not.
My experiences have helped me relate to other women who have suffered in the same ways I have, the same ways Marilyn did. While this doesn’t always bring me comfort, it does remind me I’m not alone. In the recovery community, people frequently say, “The opposite of addiction is connection.” When I connect with others surrounding the pain I feel or the pain I have experienced, I get a little more healing. And I hope, in turn, I can give just a little healing to someone else along the way.
The Sobees Movie Night Score: 3 out of 5
MOVIE NIGHT WITH THE SOBER CURATOR: The Best TV Shows, Movies, and Documentaries About Addiction & Recovery
Resources Are Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.
