The critical buzz surrounding Simon Curtis‘ My Week with Marilyn has been tough to gauge so far. (If I was pushed to nail it down to a single phrase, I’d probably say mixed-to-positive.) I was on hand when the film debuted at the New York Film Festival this past Sunday, and, as my review stated, I was a pretty big fan. Michelle Williams was the certifiable highlight, and her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe, both endearing and complex, is very likely to land her a Best Actress nomination. Kenneth Branagh‘s impressive work as Sir Laurence Olivier is also going to put him in the Oscar hunt, albeit in the supporting realm.
It’s really the performances of those two actors that pundits and critics alike seem to agree on. Other areas of the film, such as the frothy tone or Eddie Redmayne‘s largely static lead turn, have ushered in a noticeable amount of negative response. Nevertheless, Harvey Weinstein must have received a strong enough indication of Oscar gold during the film’s time in New York because he’s pushed back the film’s release date to November 23, pinning it even further into the heart of the Oscar season. (When the film’s trailer debuted last week, November 4 was the scheduled date of release). [Deadline]
I’m intrigued to continue taking the temperature of people’s response to this film. It’s an admittedly light take on something that could’ve, I suppose, been darker — I haven’t read the source material — but, in that lightness, I think it discovers virtues of a different kind.
What do you think of Harvey’s decision? Do you expect any Oscar potential beyond Williams and Branagh?