Review: Love, Marilyn

            Marilyn Monroe is easily the most iconic film star of all-time but also one of the most enigmatic. For decades, we have been fascinated by her legend and her timeless beauty yet most have only the faintest idea about who she really was. We remember her soft voice, her blonde hair, that subway grate scene from The Seven Year Itch and her rendition of “Happy Birthday” to President Kennedy but very few know the specifics of her life. The documentary Love, Marilyn seeks to remedy that by offering an unprecedented look into the tragic actress’ life through interviews with those who knew her and recently uncovered letters, poetry and diary letters written by Marilyn.

            For fans of Marilyn Monroe, Love, Marilyn is a very emotional experience and is bound to bring you to the brink of tears. We see how tormented Marilyn was throughout her life and witness second-hand the tragedies she faced – from being orphaned at a young age to ill-fated marriages to a miscarriage to a forced stint in a mental institution. She was treated by many within the industry and those in the public as a joke despite the fact that she was an incredibly intelligent and articulate woman who single-handedly created her image and broke sexual boundaries becoming an early enabler for the feminists of the late-‘60s and ‘70s. She was regularly victimized by the studio system but constantly pushed back, demanding that she be treated as an equal. Marilyn was a survivor and the most tragic realization of all was that she was on her way to recovery at the time of her untimely death, perhaps only fuelling rumours that she was murdered.

            The most remarkable and unique aspect of this documentary is that the letters, diary entries and poetry are read by established actors within the contemporary film industry. The male performers present are extraordinary reading as the men in Marilyn’s life. Ben Foster, Adrien Brody and Jeremy Piven are particular stand-outs. The actresses reading as Marilyn are more hit-and-miss. Glen Close, Viola Davis and Jennifer Ehle give remarkable performances but Uma Thurman, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood’s feel forced and false, reading their lines like acting monologues rather than personal reflections. It’s also worth mentioning Lindsay Lohan reads a couple lines successfully though her swollen lips are rather distracting. While it’s an ambitious and interesting idea to have multiple actresses read as Marilyn, it would have been more consistent had they chosen but one.

            Love, Marilyn is a courageous and unique production worth watching. It provides a different perspective on a film star that is more often parodied than actually taken seriously. If you can get past a few bad line readings by the actresses involved, this documentary will provide a well-rounded and heart-rending vision of the life and times of Marilyn Monroe.

Grade: B+