MOVIE REVIEW

"My Week With Marilyn" is a coming-of-age story in the extreme sense. And despite the schoolboy-fantasy moments, the film is based on the true personal memoirs of Colin Clark as he spent a week in the company of Marilyn Monroe.

Clark (played by a fresh face, Eddie Redmayne) is a persistent young Englishman who dreams of getting wrapped up in the booming 1950s film industry. He lands his first job following his dream: assisting the famous Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh).

And don't forget about Monroe. The exceedingly troubled starlet (Michelle Williams) wastes no time in charming the crap out of every man present and naming Clark her flavor of the week.

But really it's not just men who are left charmed.

Williams gives an astounding performance. It's like Tina Fey/Sarah Palin all over again; the resemblance is enough to make you lose in a game of "who's who?" The breathy baby voice, the killer curves, the heartbreakingly beautiful face — Williams has it all in this film. In fact, the Hollywood Foreign Press awarded Williams a well-deserved Golden Globe for her portrayal of Monroe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Comedy or Musical.

However, it is hard to say that "My Week With Marilyn" has the power to convert new Monroe fans. The film displays every aspect of Monroe's life, not just the glitzy parts.

Williams takes us behind the winks and giggles to the miserable Monroe within. She pops a lot of pills, cries about her childhood, cries about her third marriage (to famous playwright Arthur Miller) and has an emotional breakdown in every other scene. Really, not someone a young girl should emulate.

"My Week With Marilyn" would not have reached the same level of success without its female lead. The other characters are a bit flat next to the bipolar bombshell. There is the bright-eyed boy, Clark, who inevitably falls in love with the beautiful movie star. Olivier is the old man, blinded by jealousy and thwarted in his plans of seduction. Emma Watson cameos as the girl-next-door whom Clark turns down in Monroe's wake. The characters are dually believable and predictable, all except Monroe.

But don't take those words to mean I don't recommend the film. It paints a beautiful picture for anyone interested in history of the screen and offers an unparalleled look into the life of a timeless movie star.

Regardless of a scene's tone — airy, witty, shocking, pitiful — the images produced are beautiful. The costuming is elaborate, the set, detailed, and the cinematography, excellent.

There were dark moments, but they weren't at all haunting. I would compare the overall effect of the film to the sheen of a glossy soap bubble: It was a charming hour and a half. I walked out of the theater feeling slightly more whimsical than I did walking in, and far more informed about the life of Monroe.

"My Week with Marilyn" is rated R and is showing locally at Penn Cinema.