Our Week With Marilyn

What promises to be a unique insight into a troubled global star in fact devolves into a predictable, unsympathetic meaningless biopic. Anyone with basic understanding into Marilyn's traumatic, neurotic and relentless career would have found out nothing new from this film. We are led to believe that Eddie Redmayne has an exclusive view into Marilyn's psyche but in fact he exacerbates her. He personifies her wildest fears; sexual predation, disingenuity, obsession and relentless pursuit. From the start we see his obsession begin and his pursuit of the star embodies the media hype and infatuation with her. 'My Week with Marilyn'? Our Week with Marilyn moreover.

The performances in the film are brimming with talent and it is always rewarding to see Kenneth Branagh, Toby Jones, Judi Dench and Derek Jacobi. Michelle Williams is excellent, and we cant help but be curious as to whether she would be channelling her own neuroses and insecurities into her role.

I am certainly not a fan of Eddie Redmayne. He is smug, wooden and insincere and undeserving of titular roles {see Birdsong}. He is still a good fit to Colin Clark, a spoilt, ungrateful conniving brat who seems to feed on the opportunity to adorn Marilyn and feast upon her traumas to satisfy his obsession for a star and status within cinema. His arrogance perseveres, trying to convince us that his pursuit and 'rescue' of Marilyn is heroic and just, but ignoring others who have fallen for her charms.

Marilyn is drawn into his Cheshire cat complexion of innocence and sincerity and remains incapable to really grow or overcome her insecurities. We are left feeling sorry for Marilyn but certainly not enlightened by any revelations promised in the title. Overall we hope for a unique presentation of who Marilyn was really like, a representation never before seen and leave us feeling complete now that the last remaining chapter can be closed. Instead we see a young smug vapid character pursue Marilyn under the guise of innocence and we learn nothing deep or meaningful about Monroe.

The great performances cant quite redeem Redmayne's lack of charm and certainly the misleading title leaves an audience with yet another film telling us what we already know. There is not enough novelty or originality to sustain the effort put in and this film is as bereft of meaning as Redmayne is of talent.