Based upon the memoirs of Colin Clark’s experiences on the set of The Prince and the Showgirl, comes the Oscar candy film My Week with Marilyn. The film stars Michelle Williams as legendary sex icon Marilyn Monroe, Kenneth Branagh as Sir Laurence Olivier, Judi Dench as Dame Sybil Thorndike, Eddie Redmayne as Colin Clark, Dominic Cooper as Milton Greene and Emma Watson as Lucy, a member of the costume crew. The adaptation also marks the feature film directorial debut of Simon Curtis.
Set in England in 1956, My Week with Marilyn chronicles the true story of Colin Clark, an assistant to the director and star of The Prince and the Showgirl, Sir Laurence Olivier, and third Assistant Director on the set of the film. The film is based upon his experiences with the cast and crew on set, but namely the one glorious week he spent alone with Marilyn Monroe who, at the time, had just recently married playwright Arthur Miller.
Hollywood, Marilyn Monroe, Sir Laurence Olivier and a true story, this movie was screaming Oscar potential before it even had a cast selected. I wouldn’t be surprised if this gets nominated for best picture but it is Michelle Williams and Kenneth Branah’s performances that will garner surefire nominations for their spot on portrayals of the Hollywood legends. Both of them were rightfully emotional, wonderfully clever and spot on with their comedic timing. The best parts of the film usually involved the constant struggle between Olivier and Marilyn due to their very different acting styles and level of experience. If it weren’t for these two stellar performances, the level of complexity and the heart that they brought to their characters, this movie would have been an utter failure.
Since we see everything through the eyes of Colin Clark, played with a charismatic fragility by Eddie Redmayne, we are able to understand how complex Marilyn’s life was and how, because of his desire to protect her and tell her the truth, we are able to see the real distraught and insecure person she was, the girl who grew up in other peoples’ homes and is now constantly under the looking glass. It is this new found insight, for me at least, that makes this film so special and how we are able to learn about 
the various layers to her personality and overall persona. It may not offer anything new to those that are familiar with Monroe, but Williams was able to portray her lack of confidence and torn personality with ease, especially when we see her relationship with Colin blossom.
In addition to the wonderful performances by the entire cast, Simon Curtis deserves praise for making a striking film that stays as close to the source material as possible. It was shot in the same locations that The Prince and the Showgirl used back in the 60s and even identically mimicked scenes from the film which allowed Williams to not only sing like Marilyn, but also act like her when on a set. You could see Williams playing a role within a role within a role which was quite fascinating to experience. Furthermore, just from listening to the score alone you could tell that love was in the air at all points throughout the film, it was always on somebody’s mind and, to me, that seemed like an important theme for Curtis outside of Marilyn’s personal dilemmas.
For some this will be a dull and plotless tributary piece of cinema, but for others it will be a majestic follow-up to The King’s Speech. I’ll be the first to admit that at the start I wasn’t very captivated by My Week with Marilyn, but by the end I was completely engrossed in the romance of the two leads, the performances by all, and the tale of Marilyn Monroe’s first trip to England. As gorgeous as Marilyn herself, this film proves that no matter how legendary the subject matter is, with the right cast and crew Hollywood can actually do some justice when bringing to life the world of a beloved icon.
Rating: A dazzling romantic drama capped with first-rate performances, it’s Oscar bait for sure (7.9/10)
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