One of the first out of the gate, Variety's review of My Week With Marilyn calls the film a bit bland and misjudged, but raves Michelle Williams, which is the important part."But the film belongs to Williams, whose tour-de-force turn conflates three Marilyns: the lost, damaged little girl who seeks to escape others’ expectations and return to simpler childhood days; the sexy superstar who impishly poses with a wink in complicity with her public; and the actress playing a pre-scripted part. The genius of the performance lies in the way Williams stresses the interconnectedness of these personalities: The neediness fuels the impudence, the vulnerability turns sexually provocative, and the little girl and sexpot together drive the screen role."
They also praise Kenneth Branagh as Laurence Olivier & Judi Dench as Sybil Thorndike, although they are not blown away by either, and predictably love Toby Jones as Arthur Jacobs.
They also praise Kenneth Branagh as Laurence Olivier & Judi Dench as Sybil Thorndike, although they are not blown away by either, and predictably love Toby Jones as Arthur Jacobs.
