Netflix has come under intense scrutiny over the past week following the release of their latest two projects - a miniseries focused on the life of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer and a film based on a fictional novel about Marilyn Monroe.
Since its release on Septmber 21, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story received criticism for its allegedly "insensitive" portrayal of notorious sex offender and serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer. Many family members of the victims claim to have been "retraumatized" by the series, after producers reportedly failed to notify them that it was being produced.
Now, it seems new Marilyn Monroe movie, Blonde, is not an exception to public critique either.
Starring Cuban-Spanish actress Ana de Armas as Monroe, the almost three-hour film is an adaptation of the fictional novel by Joyce Carol Oates.
Oates has reiterated that her novel, published in 2000, is a work of fiction and should not to be regarded as a biography. A fact that she claims many people fail to realize while watching the film.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Oats says of the screen adaptation: "It's very painful and touching, not a feel-good movie, not Gentlemen Prefer Blondes... It's about a woman who has been exploited by Hollywood, exploited by men."
The author also added that she believes Monroe - who passed away from an overdose in August 1962 - felt "degraded and humiliated and inadequate" as she was constantly underestimated and became typecast as a "dumb blonde" in her acting roles. "I think she may have died of something like extreme despair," Oates stated.
Monroe has always been widely regarded as a sex symbol during the Golden Age of Hollywood, though, the movie depicts her desperation in trying to give audiences the blonde bombshell persona they desire. It also touches upon a traumatic childhood with an unloving mother and absent father, as well as the actress' battle with mental illness.
Ana de Armas - who donned a platinum wig and red lipstick to play the iconic silver screen star - told Queue ahead of the movie's release: "[The director's] ambitions were very clear from the start - to present a version of Marilyn Monroe's life through her lens."
"He wanted the world to experience what it actually felt like to not only be Marilyn, but also Norma Jeane. I found that to be the most daring, unapologetic, and feminist take on her story that I had ever seen," the 34-year-old added.
However, the story does not come without dark themes - viewers were left "disgusted" after witnessing multiple rape scenes within the flick, as well as depictions of nudity and violence.
One user tweeted: "Blonde is one of the worst movies I’ve seen all year. Some creative filmmaking aside, it's borderline tone deaf how detached this film is from Marilyn Monroe and her absolutely tragic life.
"It's so pretentious and exploitative that it's just unwatchable. Absolutely awful."
"I just watched the movie Blonde with Ana de Armas... Do not even waste your time with this movie... Its the most disgusting, exploitative, distasteful and disrespectful f***ing biopic I've ever watched in my life... Shame on everyone that took part in this shit [sic]," another added.
A third user chimed in: "Blonde is an exploitative, misogynistic, borderline torture film that berates an already tragic figure. De Armas is good but the cruelty behind the made-up narrative and the unfocused direction takes away from her presence. This was an awful experience. Painful to watch. One [star]."
Some users did appreciate the film, however, these opinions seem few and far between. One person wrote: "Just watched Blonde and I loved Ana de Armas [praise hands emoji]. The story was very touching, at times also disturbing I also loved the direction, the music, the different colors used to express every feeling she felt in the various scenes I just LOVED this movie! I hope to see it at the Oscars."
Blonde, which was directed by Andrew Dominik and produced by Brad Pitt, is currently available to watch on Netflix. What are your opinions on the flick?
