Blonde Viewers Slam Netflix: The Most Detestable Movie Ever Made - Variety
By: Zack Sharf (Variety)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Andrew Dominik's "Blonde," starring Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe, skyrocketed to the top of Netflix's movie chart after its first day available to stream, but the NC-17 drama is leaving many subscribers outraged. The film may have been the talk of the Venice Film Festival with its 14-minute standing ovation, but critics and viewers are calling it "sexist," "cruel" and "one of the most detestable movies" ever made.
"Given all the indignities and horrors that Marilyn Monroe endured during her 36 years, it is a relief that she didn't have to suffer through the vulgarities of 'Blonde,' the latest necrophiliac entertainment to exploit her," wrote The New York Times film critic Manohla Dargis, who panned the movie in her review.
"Blonde" is based on the Joyce Carol Oates novel of the same name and loosely recreates the many heartbreaks and tragedies of Monroe's life and career, from her abusive mother to various sexual assaults in Hollywood. While Ana de Armas' performance has received universal acclaim, the film itself has ignited outrage for its non-stop harassment, exploitation and traumatization of Monroe.
"I had the extreme misfortune of watching 'Blonde' on Netflix last night and let me tell you that movie is so anti-abortion, so sexist, so exploitative," added Steph Herold, an abortion researcher at the University of California, San Francisco. "Cannot recommend it LESS. Do not watch. The abortion scenes in particular are terrible, but so is the whole entire movie."
Herold added, "It depicts Marilyn being coerced into her first abortion, screaming on the table that she's changed her mind, and then she hallucinates finding a crying baby in her childhood home, which is engulfed in flames."
Justin Chang, film critic for the Los Angeles Times, wrote in his review, "The film isn't really about Marilyn Monroe. It's about making her suffer."
"When a movie is truly shattering or devastating, there's a residual sense of gratitude for what you've been through: the necessity of being shaken," noted Adam Nayman, film essayist and critic for The Ringer. "'Blonde' is the kind of movie that brutalizes you for three hours, feigns a sigh, and says, 'You're welcome.' Well, thanks for nothing."
One viewer claimed on Twitter that the film exists to "put Norma/Marilyn in a box that only allows her to be abused, sexualized, or to call people daddy," adding, "Maybe we stop letting misogynistic men try to make groundbreaking films about women of which they know nothing about."
"Blonde" is now streaming on Netflix.
I would have posted this in the Movie Group, but obviously this movie is a biography of MM and it's anti-woke. I'm debating whether to watch it based on this review.
I do like the fact that they selected Ana de Armas to play MM. It is so fitting. Monroe was charismatic and a fairly good actress, but as a sex symbol she was enduring with many of those who emulated her, (a mutitude of women did) actually surpassing her in that department.
It seems pretty conventionally woke with the exception of not celebrating an abortion as the greatest thing a woman can do in her life. That a woman could be forced into an abortion or regret one is, of course, transgressive. Otherwise, it seems like a fairly typical story of the powerless woman being bullied and exploited by white males.
Personally I don't give a shit if it's woke or anti-woke because for me "woke" only has the original dictionary meaning and what the word is used for today means absolutely fuck all and that's what it should mean to anyone who has any common sense or an IQ over 80. Anyway, I'm sure I'll never get the chance to watch the movie and in Rhett Butler's final words to Scarlett O'Hara: "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."
In fact, I also don't give a damn that this article wasn't posted in the Movie Group.
"I can be smart when it's important, but most men don't like it" ...
Do you think Arthur Miller agreed with that?
Do not know and do not care.
Got it!
Doesn't sound "woke" to me.
That you for the quick response. I added the "anti." Three errors needed fixing as a matter of fact.
Let me put the Rum away.
You seeded the article as it was written, correct ? Why add anything and what needed fixing ?
Did you see the movie?
I read the book.
You read a book? Which one?
Blonde, by Joyce Carol Oates.
You know, the subject of your seed ?
Good. Let's assume the movie is faithful to the book.
Did she suffer "indignities" and "horrors?"
She sure did.
The price of being a role model?
Sounds like it will be a MAGA hit. A movie just in time for those desperately trying to recreate 1950's America. Just like the 'Handmaids Tale', for some of us it's a nightmare, for others it's an instruction manual.
How about you? Did you see the movie?
You say it sounds like it will be a MAGA hit. That doesn't sound like you saw it.
A movie just in time for those desperately trying to recreate 1950's America.
Nobody can do that.
Just like the 'Handmaids Tale', for some of us it's a nightmare, for others it's an instruction manual.
The only nightmare I know of is a recession, inflation over 8%, open borders, rampant crime, the weaponization of the DOJ and the FBI and the attempt to indoctrinate and sexualize school children. Would you rather we talked about the radical left and their POS president?
anti-abortion, so sexist, so exploitative," added Steph Herold, an abortion researcher at the University of California,
Lol.
Yeah, lost me there.
Is there evidence for the controversial bits, or is it just something they made up?
Nobody here has seen it, yet as you can see by at least 3 of the comments the very thought of telling the story of MM requires a woke interpretation.