Apologies to Ana de Armas who turns in a fine performance, but this is nothing short of character assassination. Dominik is a talented director, but why he thought he was the right person to attempt to tell a willfully controversial and fictional character study of one of Hollywood’s most iconic women is beyond me. 

While the film attempts to be deep and thought-provoking in its’ half-hearted exploration of stardom and its’ consequences, it really just fetishizes Monroe’s suffering. Character development comes in the form of domestic abuse, abortions, rape, and cruel moments which Dominik seems to love. If anything, after watching this I’m convinced that Andrew Dominik hates Marilyn Monroe. 

What may be even more offensive is how Monroe is reduced to what ultimately amounts to a pretty girl with daddy issues which the movie then attempts to use as a justification for much of the abuse she endures. There are countless scenes that are repulsive and few of them have to do with the excessive nudity.

One such nauseating scene features a POV shot from a vagina during an abortion; however, the biggest abomination has to be that of a CGI fetus who asks Monroe if it is also going to have an abortion. In addition to being a digital atrocity worthy of a lifetime achievement Razzy for the worst visual effects off all time, this element seems to be taken from a right-wing podcaster’s wet dream. This whole sequence is particularly gross. 

The uneven direction, complete and utter lack of empathy, preposterous repetition of narrative elements, and the shallowness of the characters result in an exploitative product where suffering exceeds the object of artistic exploration. 

Both the story and protagonist are so consumed by pain and trauma, there’s little room for nuance or true depth of character. Despite a few good performances and some interesting cinematography, the final result is little more than misogynistic trash.