Change Your Image
Roma73
Reviews
Last Stop Larrimah (2023)
Land of plenty feuds
If you love Fargo (the film), you'll probably enjoy this as a real life whodunnit, with a wealth of eccentric Fargo-like characters, each and every one of them far stranger than fiction.
In a nutshell, this true story revolves around 11 people who are the sole inhabitants of a tiny villlage off the beaten track in northern Australië. Did I say 11? I mean 10. One of them has mysteriously disappeared, presumably murdered. You'd think with such a meagre population it wouldn't be too difficult to narrow down a suspect or two, right? Yeah, unless the potential murder victim had more than a few enemies among his ten-fold brethren.
To further complicate matters, the remaining ten don't like (any of) each other much either, and that's me putting it very mildly.
This 2 episode series is hard to compare with anything else, but I can say this: the individuals who tell the story - Larrimah's population, all of them potential suspects (and some cops from the nearest glimpse of civilization) - had me completely absorbed. There's lots to say about them, but it's hard to find the words, I assure you. And if you have yet to watch this, the less said the better.
The Squid and the Whale (2005)
Hey you, of course you know this song, can you hear me
Liked the beginning quite a lot. Then it started to bore me a little, in the way I tend to get bored when authenticity begins to rift and pretension seeps in through the cracks.
My main issue however is the Pink Floyd matter. I grew up in the late 70'ies and 80'ies. EVERYONE knew Pink Floyd, and famous songs like "Hey You" in particular. New Yorker, intellectual, hippie-ish parents not recognising such a famous song by Pink Floyd is just plain weird. And an entire school - kids, teenagers, teachers, parents - not knowing? Fooled to think the boy wrote that song? Seriously... This part felt like science-fiction to me. Or maybe, I thought, someone was dreaming it? But no, apparently the makers meant it for real. The makers chose this song, I guess, because they liked the lyrics, because the lyrics suited the story, but it was a bad choice. A terrible choice, at that.
5 stars off for that.
Dirty John (2018)
Season 2
Season 2: For a real life crime series the acting is top notch. Hence my high rating.
As for this true story, I see "for" and "against" Betty camps here. I'm in neither. While (after watching this series) I don't think Dan and Linda were blameless or particularly likeable people, killing two people without it being self defense is as wrong as wrong can get, period. And all those kids left without parents a horrifically tragic consequence. For women who relate to this "woman scorned" sentiment: just imagine this reversed. A woman wants out of the marriage and moves on with someone new, only to be shot together with her new partner by her ex-husband. We'd vilify him, right? I think we would!
I agree the settlement didn't seem just; she deserved half of what as a team they harvested. It also feels like he abused his knowledge of the legal system to #### her over. However! She was granted 16.000 a month, which was a lot at the time (almost 40.000 nowadays). While it may not have been fair it was still a HUGE alimony sum. She could have moved on, done something creative with her life, been a great mother, focussed on what she had instead of what she didn't have or should've gotten. With that kind of loot, meaning no worries about housing, food, clothes, etc, she could have sought the best revenge of all: happiness.
The fact that to this day, Betty feels no remorse and doesn't regret her decision means she must be a deeply obsessive person. I'm tempted to think it was more than a cute young secretary that drove Dan to end the marriage. Though in the series he comes off as a gaslighting narcissist, Betty herself doesn't seem merely a woman "snapped" but someone with serious mental afflictions. Just my observation, of course.
If anything, this is a good warning for young people not to sacrifice everything for love. And, if you invest in your partner's career, to make sure you have transparent agreements and signed papers in case things go sour. And that the only worthwhile revenge is the pursuit of your own happiness. Mostly, though, this was an example of disastrous parenting in many ways.
Delete (2023)
So so
This isn't bad. That's to say, it kept me engaged. The acting was inspired enough too.
However. None of the characters was astute enough to see there's an easy solution to (fixing) the "delete" problem. Here it is: find one person who wants to die anyway, by suicide or euthanasia. You ask this person to delete everyone who has ever taken a picture, hence bringing back the people they've deleted. Then have someone delete this suicidal person, and the last group is back too; everyone is back. Surely the script writers should've thought of this too? No one mentions it during the series. A pretty huge pothole.
Then the ending. The series had a few twists, some of them effective and interesting, other less so. The last one made no sense to me and seemed to exist just for shock effect. It didn't shock me, just confused me.
Also, some character decisions should've been dealt with, like Aim lying to police and everyone else about his unreported missing girlfriend's whereabouts, telling them different things and making stuff up at the blink of an eye as he goes along. Not very credible.
Not a bad series but I've detracted some stars because of the above.
Emily (2022)
Fiction, NOT a biopic
The acting is pretty solid; I apologise to the actors for my low rating as they deserve better. But this is a work of pure fiction about someone who truly existed. The problem with this kind of fictionalising of real people is that a LOT of people who watch such things now take this for truth. Especially those who haven't delved into that person's biography. And so the Chinese whisper begins... The other day during a dinner with friends, someone said how shocked they were to learn that Marilyn Monroe had been raped by president Kennedy. She'd just watched "Blonde" and even commended the makers for daring to expose such brutality. I rest my case (there is zero evidence that any such thing happened). Yet these fictional biopics are rife these day and I personally don't see the point, and see an important point missed. Generally, the truth is much more interesting and poignant. Fact is stranger than fiction!
Emily's love story is invented - we have no evidence whatsoever that such an affair took place - but what bothered me most was the timeline (and reasons for changing it) after Bradwell's death.
In actuality, Emily got sick right after Branwell. She caught a cold at his funeral which soon evolved into something worse. In this movie she gets sick way later. In fact she even writes her book in between, which is nonsense - she'd already written and even published Wuthering Heights by then.
So what's wrong with this fictional liberty? Well, I can think of no other reason for fictionalising this timeline than to have Branwell plead with her at his deathbed to "write! Write, Emily!"
And here's precisely my problem. It implies a great writer like Emily wrote because someone (men, among whom her alcoholic, deeply problematic brother) TOLD her to.
A writer as great as Emily must have had a remarkable inner drive to write, but I'm not seeing that in this movie. Here, she's a romantic, lonely, love stricken girl, driven to art thanks to the encouragement of men. What I'm missing is a great spirit with an immense inner world and an own inner drive, a passion, an obsession to reach for the stars.
If anyone encouraged her, one expects her sisters might have. If I could time travel and be a fly on the wall at the Brontë parsonage, that's where I'd be: with the three sisters, reading to each other and discussing their work at a candle-lit table.
Oei, ik groei! (2023)
Astoundingly ignorant
The Dutch aren't famous for their acting, so I wasn't expecting much there. My main issue with this series however is the writing.
First of all this was clearly written by a man or by men, and not the progressive, egalitarian kind but the old fashioned, unengaged and oblivious type. I don't even need to look it up to know this, and I'll tell you why: the ridiculous portrayal of the lesbian couple. In fact, these two are not portrayed as a couple but as one might imagine two sexy cohabiting acquaintances. They have two children and a third on the way, donored by a family friend, who sits with them at the table at the start of the film to tell them he wants a more significant role in the childrens' lives. In fact, he wants a major fatherly role and for them to call him "dad". They discuss all this with the kids present - who don't know he's the donor! - at which the eldest daughter exclaims: 'What? You're my DAD?' One of the moms seems a little wary at their donor's demands but the other one says (with their donor friend STILL AT THE TABLE) that they should give it a try, like, why not? No need to discuss this privately as a couple. They immediately suit action to word: Sleepovers, "dad" calling, the whole shebang. Kids overjoyed, of course!
Dear male writer(s). Just imagine these lesbians were a hetero couple who, because of circumstances, used donor sperm or donor eggs to have children. Now fathom the same situation. The sperm or egg donor sits at the table, suddenly insisting to "be" the father or mother, with a significant role, and wanting to be called "dad" or "mum". And the hetero couple deciding then and there, without needing to discuss this privately, to give it a try (like, why not)? And discussing this so carelessly that an unknowing child listens in: 'Whaaaat? Are you my dad/mum?"
Yeah, I know. You can't imagine that happening, can you? Well guess what: it would never happen with two lesbians either because lesbians are not cohabiting acquaintances, see?
Anyway. I could've forgiven this major faux pas if the rest of it at least was enjoyable. But except for the first 30 seconds, it's not. How such terrible writer(s) find people willing to sponsor such infantile cr#p is beyond me, and quite worrying.
Nine Days (2020)
Remarkably original
My 7 stars are for originality of script, great dialogue and excellent acting.
I think we can all agree this is foremostly a philosophical film. This is also why there's not much point in complaining (as some reviewers do) about 80ies equipment used in an esoteric setting.
First up, I'm not a fan of artsy fartsy, by which I mean those filmhouse projects which preach grandiose ideas to an "unenlightened" mass (reminding me of my 15 year old messiah self: pretentious, obnoxious and far more ignorant than I realized). Luckily, Nine Days steered clear of pretentiousness for the most part. There were however a few moments that came off a little contrived.
One such moment was the poo & toothbrush dialogue. Though I understand the message of life as a matter of perception, to me this piece of dialogue felt somewhat staged and overstated. I also felt it "stole" from the guy's disgust at a pedophile murderer claiming to be in love with the girls he'd murdered. It reminded me of Byron Katie, whose intruiging concepts are lost on me once she insists that victims of the worst of people (sexually abusive fathers, sadistic mass murderers) must full-heartedly forgive their perpetrators for their own well-being. Though I personally believe that happiness (in its countless shapes) is mostly matter of perception, I also believe in acceptance of at least some "darkness", which is NOT the same as sugar coating or nullifying that darkness. I'll resist the temptation to go into this deeper as not to bore people.
Will's dejection, too, felt somewhat overstated (in the 'yeah okay I get it' way).
Truth be told, these affectations stood out for the very reason that the rest was very good. It's the reason however I'm not giving this a 10, in the same way I'd detract some points when a Michelin star restaurant serves canned soup and tacos in between courses. When you're capable of this kind of deeper thinking and art making, you ought to reach for the stars and get a highly intelligent script doctor to track and finetune such details. Just my humble opinion.
Nonetheless, well worth the watch, and, having watched it yesterday, I have to stay it's still with me today. In fact, I've just decided to give it another star because of this. 8 it is.
I'll certainly be looking out for the next projects by writer and director Edson Oda.
The Ultimatum: Queer Love (2023)
Way better than the straight version
I'm not into reality shows, but a while ago I somehow ended up watching the Ultimatum hetero version of this. I thought it was absolute trash, with a lot of unstable narcissisticaly inclined participants. However, these lesbians ring truer somehow. This feels more balanced and (most of) the participants seem less unhinged. Although I'll never quite understand what drives people to share such personal stuff on camera with the world entire, it feels like their motives for participating aren't merely a narcissistic thirst for attention. They're quite funny at times too.
As a guilty voyeuristic pleasure, this was entertaining.
Ted Bundy: Falling for a Killer (2020)
Best Ted Bundy doc out there
For everyone whining about the feminist touch to this doc and that there're too many women talking: Ted Bundy killed women (MANY women), and the culture at the time DID have something to do with it, on so many levels. Like how women were told not to resist rape, how they were not taken seriously when they had important info, Bundy specifically targetting women who were scholarly (to name a few). If you want to see more men and boys, watch a series about about Jeffrey Dahmer or John Wayne Gacy. In fact the whining on here about feminism shocks me somewhat, I was hoping we'd evolved some since the times covered in this doc.
The Night Agent (2023)
What?!
Picture this. I'm an FBI agent and I get a call from a woman trying to hide from bad people hunting her down in a house. I tell her to check if the bathroom door closes on the inside. Lo and behold, it does. I tell her to lock it from the inside but to close the door without going inside, so the bad guys will think she's in there, buying her time. What? Yeah, I know. Absolutely brilliant idea if it weren't such a huge stretch of imagination and coincidence. There are very few bathroom doors that do that, and for good reasons. You'd be locking yourself out and breaking down your bathroom door on plenty an occasion, especially if you have kids.
Next, I'm in a car chase with the woman these unknown bad guys are after. I complain I can't see their number plates. On a lengthy bridge, a crash ensues. Loads of people are hurt, cars have crashed all over the place. The criminals are trapped there; luckily we get away. So what do I do? I drive to a friend's airbnb house. And don't call a team of cops. Don't send anyone to the bridge where a bunch of criminals (trying to kill me and the woman I'm protecting) are trapped. And where, by the way, people might be dying. What what?
The woman I'm protecting refuses to tell me what the guy who tried to kill her looks like. She doesn't tell in case there's a rat who'll want her dead if she tells. What? A "rat" would actually have a lot more motivation to kill her while she DOESN'T tell, as once she's told, killing her would be useless, or at any rate a lot less useful than while she's still alive. But I - hotshot FBI guy - don't bother to enlighten her.
Next, unstable spies pull guns with the intent to use it on cops for a speeding ticket pull-over... Er, what?
That pretty much sums it up. Stupid good guys, stupid bad guys. I switched off hoping they'd end up killing each other all in one go during a shoot-out.
The Lincoln Lawyer (2022)
Script doctor, please
I missed Saul Goodman watching this: hopelessly devious and imperfect yet always having my sympathy.
This started off with an amusing detail: MC Mick's first and second wife are listed just like that in his phone. But then immediately dialogue with wife 2 is just trying too hard to be funny. Like her guessing he's pulling his face away from the phone. Which happens again and again: I keep hearing the writers in my ears: aint it funny? Aint that really funny?
We learn that Mick has been off work for a little over a year after an accident and got addicted during that time to painkillers. Now I happen to know people to whom this happened; it takes a lot longer to get to rock bottom. I was reminded of high school friends proudly confessing they were junkies because they'd smoked weed like six or seven times.
I don't mind the cliché lawyer or cop turned rogue if well executed. But whiner characters do not endear me.
Life (2017)
Great first half, darn shame about the second
They lost me about half an hour before the ending. Before that I thought it was pretty darn good. Yes, a little like Alien, but who cares? If well executed. The first half was well acted, exciting, coherent - and I loved the ending.
The first annoyances, around halfway, were still forgivable. Like the crying (didn't feel genuine to me) and philosophising (didn't hit the mark somehow).
But two misses - crew member mistakes - were pretty huge. To start with a crewmate outside the station, finding the Alien clinging to her. She goes to the hatch but then heroically stops it from being opened, to die outside with the creature. But the creature latches onto the station and finds a way in again. Why didn't she just push herself into outer space?
Then there was Miranda, explaining her secret protocol to David, which basically means they are all to be killed (propelled into outer space) should something go wrong. Yet when a rocket arrives from earth with the obvious intent to do just this, and an Isis crewmate unknowingly brings the alien to their hatch door, Miranda does absolutely everything to save her crewmate, endangering the people from earth, herself amd her other crewmates. This makes no sense - not for this "protocol" woman anyway.
Four stars for the first half. This would've really benefitted from a script doctor.
Anna Nicole Smith: You Don't Know Me (2023)
Better skip this review if you're a die-hard Anna Nicole Smith fan
I've always thought of Anne Nicole Smith as a not too bright, cheap-white-trashy country girl. Having watched this, I haven't changed my mind (though her childhood wasn't as poor as she claimed) but she sure comes off as way dumber than I thought.
The affected voice and mannerisms, it just had me cringe over and over. It even made this difficult to watch at times, as did the blatant narcissism. Personally, I never thought her attractive, there was nothing subtle or magical about her, it was a hype I never understood. In this documentary, Anne Nicole Smith comes off as a sadly desperate wannabe - a Marilyn Monroe wannabe, for one, which she was far from. Monroe was authentically goodlooking and actually quite bright (I've read excerpts of her diaries), and had an air of mystery and class and depth. Anne was none of these things. It's like comparing diamonds to gaudy strass. Even Smith's sexually abusive childhood was a lie (to imitate Monroe, I guess), which is a slap in the face to people with real such childhoods.
And the phone calls with Marshall? Entertaining for us to listen in, perhaps, but who recorded them and why? (Does anybody else wonder, I wonder?) Some interactions with the old man and Smith's young son felt borderline abusive to me. The kid calling this very old man "dad" felt off and wrong somehow, like it's all acted and the kid is forced to play along with this folie a deux, this theatre. And no, I'm not even that biased against young bombshells hooking up with billionaire geriatrics (love comes in many shapes), I'm simply biased against these two unstable individuals. Also, I never understood why she wanted HALF of Marshall's money. Couldn't she have settled for a few million, wait what, a million?
To people still insisting she was a "great mom": women who take methadone and god knows what else in the eight month of their pregnancy aren't exemplary mothers, nor are those who push their shy sons to go on their narcissist reality shows.
As for the story with her own real dad (no spoilers), if true (which apparently one never knows with Smith), that IS a sad story, yet my God was she naive!
I'm giving this a fair seven though, because the documentary itself is well made. It's also is a good reminder of what fame can do to the unprepared. But if the makers' intention was to make her more likeable, for me they failed, though by no fault of theirs. That's just what happens when your topic is cheap, daft, superficial, uninteresting, greedy, vain, calculating, manipulative, drug addicted and deceitful.
Clemency (2019)
Mercy
Why the rating isn't higher is beyond me?! And I'm not even such an arthouse fan, but this bleak and disturbingly realistic movie about capital punishment is just really well done. The acting is so good in fact I found it hard to watch at times. It's also the reason I'm giving this a 9.
I do however understand this is not for everyone. It doesn't go for sensation, which makes it a little slow perhaps but all the more realistic and palpable. Also, you need to be in the right mood as it's rather depressing (that's putting it mildly).
But if you're interested in the subject matter (capital punishment, from the various perspectives of those closely involved with its execution), and you're in for some top-notch acting, give it a go.
Chupa (2023)
Humdrum
The creature is cute. For that, a few stars. But the writing is pretty bad and lacks conflict (inner conflict, conflict between characters, story conflict). The first half of the movie there's a lot of sidetracking and unnecessary dialogue. And as another reviewer said, it leans on too many minds, jumping back and forth between comedy, action, warm hearted family movie, et cetera. The acting isn't great either, and all this combined makes this movie too boring to feel invested. Even so, my daughter and I did watch it until the end, because Chupa, the movie's best actor (save for a particular flying scene towards the end) is really very cute.
Obsession (2023)
Stolen
As others have said, this story is a re-write of Damage, which was a well written novel published some decades ago, and later also filmed. I'll be honest, I didn't watch all of Obsession, or rather: fast-forwarded to the end. I wouldn't even mind it being a rip-off if it was well done, but it's not, or not to my taste anyway. The spicier scenes seem to piggy-back on Fifty Shades of Grey, which unlike Damage I'm no fan of, yet even then could've forgiven if done well, but it's all just rather lame and, at least to me, not in the least bit sexy. Lastly, the characters and their interactions feel superficial, with little depth, and if there's any chemistry I'm not feeling it.
Hope Gap (2019)
Play-like
Annette Bening talks somewhat funny in this, maybe because she isn't English (why didn't they just make her American, I wonder? After all, some Americans do live in the UK?), and because something about the dialogues made this feel play-like, as if written for the stage. Sometimes the dialogue was quite good, other times it felt contrived.
Even so, I enjoyed the straightforward way the story was told, and the occasional understated dark humour.
I still don't know how I feel about Annette's character. I see different views among the other reviewers here, with some feeling sympathy and others thinking her excruciatingly obnoxious. Guess I'm somewhere in the middle.
The Team (2015)
Unimpressed
I agree with other reviewers that the dialogue is pretty terrible. I speak four of the languages spoken which doesn't help - I can tell how bad it is. Some actors do better than others, but the real problem is with the writing, which would make acting difficult even for the best of actors. Also, the place hopping is distracting.
The different languages, while speaking a few of them myself, wouldn't have been a problem for me (and even an asset) if done well, but it's not done well and so the whole thing feels like a gimmick. Lastly, in my opinion the detectives lack professionalism (supposedly the best in Europe?) and are all rather boring. I'm giving up.
You (2018)
Sleeping pill
First season wasn't bad, with some forgivable annoyances. Then it started going downhill, with season 4 being the abominable rock bottom. The characters, millennial rich kids, are absolutely uninteresting and boring. There's no chemistry between Joe and anyone. The dialogues are either dull or cringe. I kept falling asleep - in fact that's what it's good for, works like a sleeping pill. I didn't see all of it because I slept so much and because some bits were so cringe I had to forward them. Really, really bad.
The main reason I watched such a fair bit of season 4 was to justify my writing this review. Conclusion: it doesn't get better.
I Am a Killer (2018)
Really good
This one is quite brilliant. While some of the convicted get my sympathy more than others, this series feels honestly done. The makers dare go into the depths of everything human, as do some of the perpetrators interviewed. Importantly, everybody gets their say; the formula doesn't feel manipulated.
At least one incarcerated person interviewed should be released in my opinion, and that to me is a huge thing considering that that particular person was sentenced to death at some point.
I've watched a few episodes more than once to reassess. And will probably watch them a few more times. Good food for thought.
Harry & Meghan: The Complete Story (2022)
Kardashians Royale
First up, I have no severe opinions about these people. I don't know them personally and felt neither a particular like or dislike for them to begin with. Having watched the series that's unchanged, but I'm left with the feeling that this might backfire, especially for Meghan.
For one, they pull the hefty racism card. In fact I'm not surprised they ran into a racist or two within "The Firm", just like there are a few racists in any large group of people (or sexists, misogynists, homophobes, or people otherwise obnoxious). From what I remember Meghan was met with open arms when she first stepped onto the wordly stage, perhaps more than she realized. But turning yourself into a Kardashian, though it will undoubtedly make you more famous, doesn't necessarily make you more likeable, especially if you insist the reason for all this self-publicity is victimhood.
Perhaps they thought that if a tell-all interview worked for Diana, it might work for them. Personally I was never a Diana fan (although I felt sorry for her she seemed troubled by more than infidelity and tabloids), yet she did already have the hearts of millions before her disclosures. With this seemingly redundant self-inflicted exposure newbie Meghan might just be duping her odds at such positive popularity. Not because of racism but because people will wonder why, after the in-depth interview with Oprah, these highly privileged people are going global yet again. To tell "their side" - but didn't they already do that? Why again and why this lengthily? And with a book on the way as well?
I see issues with the format, too. It would have benefited from less selfie footage and more self-reflection, probed by an outstanding unbiased interviewer. Having a job occasionally demanding the spotlight I've learnt that picture perfect depictions of oneself don't win hearts, whereas soul searching and admitting to (at least some) imperfections, do. Self-pity and vengefulness are by far the most dangerous paths.
I wish them all the love and luck, but right now their fairy tale romance feels more exploited by themselves than by tabloids. Although I find some comments unduly harsh (like labelling them narcissists) I can sort of see where it's coming from. When Harry says on camera that 'it's amazing what people will do when offered a huge amount of money,' it feels like he could just as well be referring to themselves as the tabloids he's scoffing. Perhaps with the addition 'and fame'.
The Watcher (2022)
Heavy on us watchers
First of all, the actors did well, and the idea in itself is interesting too, at least at first.
But then gradually it begins to feel like while everyone is getting lost in the maze of twists, so are the writers. Loose ends are left all over the place. And all these twists go absolutely nowhere. They seem thrown in for no other reason than to confuse the viewer and prolong the plot. Like a bunch of frivolous kids trying to fool a parent, one of them having stolen some cookies and the others pointing to a random friend: 'It was him. Hahaha. Tricked you. It wasn't him. It was HER. Hahaha. Tricked you again, it was the CAT.' Etc.
The ending was a huge disappointment. I don't mind open endings at all when executed well. This just feel like a cop-out. Sure, if that's the true story and you want to stick to it, fine. But like other reviewers I've also taken the trouble to look the real story up. Clearly liberties were taken. So basically an inspiring idea was convoluted in all the wrong ways to end in nothing satisfying. No real choice was made: tell a true story pretty much as it went? Or use it as inspiration for something grand? This was neither.
The ending is the main reason for my low rating, by the way. Made me feel conned, like when you're sold something that turns out to be useless or broken.
Monster (2022)
Brilliant filmmaking
The first twenty-five minutes of this masterpiece comprise the most terrifying scenes I've seen in serial killer movie making, real or fictional. Totally blew me away. Exceptional in every way. The actors, wow, been a long time since I saw acting of this calibre. And the cinematography, the timing, the score, the directing, the editing, it's ALL just brilliant.
Pour yourself a drink, or better yet just put the whole bottle on the table and prepare yourself for a baggy-eyed day tomorrow while you binge this until your boss calls to ask you why you're not at work. Or haven't been at work for the last two days.
Since I have to make it to 600 characters, I'll add that I did think some episodes were more gripping than others, and some scenes felt a little repetitive (especially with/about Dahmer's neighbour Glenda Cleveland). I should also add I think this stands out because the rest is so incredible. A 10 out of 10 for me, highly recommend.
Brain on Fire (2016)
Straightforward, important movie
Like other reviewers have said, perhaps not the kind of movie that appeals to everyone. What might turn some people off might just be the thing I merit it for. Although this true story is dramatic to say the least, it's told in a straightforward, no-nonsense manner. No unnecessary embellished story lines, just what appears to be the truth (like: divorced parents without added drama). The acting is really good, with many kudos to the lead.
I reckon it's also an important movie. If it can help diagnose one more person in this young person's situation, that's one life saved. It's also an important message to everyone to not give up too soon when doctors just don't know.
Blonde (2022)
The dumb blonde victim that Marilyn was in the imagination of the people who made this
Victim. Victim. Victim. Every scene is doused in it. And doused in Marilyn's tears. Not a single scene without Ana de Armas (who looks very much like Marilyn in some scenes but nothing like her in others) having this ridiculously overstated VICTIM expression. No humour, no intelligence, no stamina, no eloquence, no personality, none of the things the real Marilyn did have, by all accounts.
What a missed opportunity. This movie purports to highlight how everyone used and abused her and never saw the real her - well, this movie is the so-manieth example of just that. I hope whoever made money with this movie thinks about that every time they spend a dollar of that money.