My Week With Marilyn (Simon Curtis) ***1/2

One of the most difficult things about doing a film about someone as iconic as Marilyn Monroe is finding someone who can appropriately fit the role. That doesn't mean, as we've seen with many other attempts, just finding someone who can look the part. In fact, Michelle Williams looks less the part than many others who have done it, but there's never been a better attempt at matching the magnetism that Marilyn Monroe brought to the screen.

As the title suggests, My Week With Marilyn focuses on a small period of time in Marilyn Monroe's (Michelle Williams) life. It is based on a pair of published diary accounts written by Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne). Clark had the opportunity to work with Marilyn Monroe on the film The Prince and the Showgirl, which Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh) directed and starred in. The film follows how Clark's relationship with Monroe developed throughout the course of the film's production.

It's a challenging part for Williams. The film would absolutely not work without her giving a great performance. There are many scenes where characters talk about how great Marilyn looks on camera, while watching in awe at the scenes they filmed the previous day. That's a lot to live up to, but Michelle Williams is up to the task. Probably no one can ever match the screen presence that Marilyn Monroe had, but Williams comes amazingly close and completely commands attention every scene she's in.

I liked the idea that the film only shows glimpses into Monroe's life. We've seen so many biopics that all seem to have a standard formula, so this one is a pretty refreshing take on the genre. We see her vulnerability, how much trouble she causes on set for Olivier and other cast members, and bits of her troubled marriage to Arthur Miller. The film doesn't attempt to come up with a grand psychological explanation for her behavior, but just gives us a few suggestions here and there.

If there's a drawback here, it is the lead character. Colin Clark is not very interesting himself, especially when set against these other iconic characters. That's to be expected somewhat, but it still is a bit problematic since he's in nearly every scene and we're meant to care about his fate. There's a cute romantic subplot between him and a costume designer (Emma Watson), but it is underdeveloped and merely seems to serve as a screenplay contrivance to create some conflict.

Director Simon Curtis does a really good job of maintaining a consistent tone. There are some very dramatic moments to be sure, but the film has a whimsical feel to it and nicely avoids descending into depressing melodrama. The supporting cast is pretty solid, with Branagh especially good as the proud, great theatrical actor equally frustrated with Monroe's difficulties on the set and for his inability to match her presence on the screen. It's a fun, often fascinating glimpse into the life of a screen legend and Michelle Williams' marvelous performance carries the film.