Blonde movie receiving criticism for being fictional
Monroe was played by Ana de Armas, and the film is based on the novel of the same name by Joyce Carol Oates.
Last week, Netflix released the trailer for the movie "Blonde", which describes the fascinating and complex life of the American icon Marilyn Monroe and shortly after the release of the trailer, there were strong reactions on Twitter.
Monroe was played by Ana de Armas, and the film is based on the novel of the same name by Joyce Carol Oates. Due to its dark subject matter and portrayal of sexual assault, it is the first Netflix production to be rated NC-17, which indicates that the film is not suitable for viewers under the age of 18.
"I think a violent Marilyn Monroe fantasy masquerading as a biography, or even if it was just a fantasy, is pretty awful," film critic Grace Randolph wrote on Twitter. Many users pointed out that the film is problematic because it is based on a novel that reimagines the actress' life, as opposed to a film based on a true biography.
"'Blonde' is heavily based on a fictional book about Marilyn Monroe that will give the public more lies about her. This is also not a biopic, the NC-17 rating is just what one wants, not what is needed. That's the way to sexualize her even more," said one Twitter user. "Let Hollywood tell us how horribly it treated this woman and how even decades after her death people are still profiting from her. But sure, Ana de Armas looks amazing as Marilyn Monroe and I'm sure she'll be nominated for awards, which is the whole point of this movie," reads one comment.
Twitter users also criticized the Cuban accent of the main actress. "At the risk of offending those who are more concerned with language than content, Norma Jean didn't have a Spanish accent. Ana de Armas has one in the trailer. There's a lot of cultural appropriation in Hollywood, but there's no reason to destroy historical accuracy by going the other way.", reads one of the tweets.
"Another example of an actor who makes his character unconvincing because of his accent. I'm not willing to pretend Marilyn Monroe was Hispanic just so Ana de Armas can work. And just for the record, I love Ana, but this was a huge mistake in casting," one user posted.
The film's director, Andrew Dominik, did not respond to the backlash on Twitter, but spoke about the film's controversial nature in an interview with Screen Daily.
“It's a demanding film. If the audience doesn't like it, that's the audience's problem. This is not running for public office. It's an NC-17 movie about Marilyn Monroe, that's what you want, right? I want to go and see the NC-17 version of the Marilyn Monroe story” - Dominic said.
The author of the book, Joyce Carol Oates, described "Blonde" as a feminist film, which aims to stimulate discussion among contemporary audiences.
Post by: Rinna James
