My Week with Marilyn - 8 stars out of 10

My Week with Marilyn - 8 stars out of 10

"My Week with Marilyn" wasn't a life-changing movie, but Michelle Williams is just so unbelievably good that it is a must-see.  She is absolutely irresistible as Marilyn Monroe and beautifully portrays all of the insecurities that Monroe dealt with outside of the public eye.  You literally can't look away because Williams is so gorgeous that you'll continually forget that she isn't actually Monroe.  She completely deserved her Oscar nomination and the simple story serves as a vehicle for her to show off her Marilyn-side.  True stories are the best and this brief spark of romance is a great way to develop the characters of Monroe and Colin Clark.  The film starts off perfectly with  a jazzy, whimsical score reminiscent of John Williams' soundtrack to "Catch Me If You Can."  Leave it to John Williams to appear in movie reviews that don't even involve him!  I loved some of the small character roles that add a little flavor to the story without receiving high praise.  The top of the list was Dame Judi Dench, who increases ticket sales just by having her name in the credits, and a spunky performance by Emma Watson who is on her way to becoming one of Hollywood's brightest stars.  I was disappointed with Kenneth Branagh's performance, not because it was inadequate, but because his Oscar nomination gave me such high expectations.  "My Week with Marilyn" isn't just a movie - it's a slice of history and a great opportunity to get to know the insecure side of one of Hollywood's biggest legends.