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Blonde

Blonde

Watched by all, seen by none.

2022167 minNC-17Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
Director
Andrew Dominik
Starring
Ana de Armas, Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale, Sara Paxton

From her volatile childhood as Norma Jeane, through her rise to stardom and romantic entanglements, this reimagined fictional portrait of Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe blurs the lines of fact and fiction to explore the widening split between her public and private selves.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Blonde?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Blonde streaming on Netflix.

Subscription

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Blonde?

Blonde earns 9 badges, led by Standout acting and Overhyped.

Show 1 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is Blonde worth watching?

Blonde's Midcredits score is the 22nd percentile of all films, from 375K ratings across 6 sources. 34% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

22nd percentile

Better received than 22% of films

5th percentile among Biography23rd percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)18th
Approval (how many liked it)29th

51 /100

18th percentile of all films

4th percentile among Biography21st percentile among 2020s

Critics 50 · Audience 51

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

Ratings scatter across the whole scale — one of the most divisive reactions in the catalog.

34% liked it

29th percentile of all films

8th percentile among Biography31st percentile among 2020s
34% rated it 7–1066% rated it 1–6

Critics 42% · Audience 36%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 11 wins / 36 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama

98th percentile

374K ratings across platforms

95th percentile among Biography98th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 17% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$22M

What reviewers say

Common ground

A visually striking, technically polished, but relentlessly grim and dark portrait of Marilyn Monroe's suffering.

Fans praised

  • Ana de Armas transformative, empathetic performance
  • Visually stunning cinematography, period recreation
  • Brave, unflinching depiction of Hollywood's exploitation

Detractors panned

  • Gratuitous misery, trauma without balance
  • Script feels disjointed, monotonous victimhood
  • Exploitative nudity and sexual content

What stands out

Acting85

Ana de Armas captivating, fully committed performance

CinematographyDivisive80

Visually stunning, but some call it style over substance

AtmosphereDivisive75

Immersive, uneasy dreamlike tone; some say joyless

Emotional impactDivisive55

Devastating for fans; manipulative trauma for detractors

OriginalityDivisive55

Novel approach to biopic as horror, but derivative misery

Plot and story30

Disjointed, episodic, repetitive tragic beats

Characters30

Marilyn reduced to perpetual victim; side characters underdeveloped

Pacing20

Overlong (nearly 3 hours), tedious, no respite

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 14 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 13 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 10 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is Blonde like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Harrowing: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you are ready for a hard story that does not look away.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you devastated. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention, room for heavy feelings, patience and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Harrowing.

Moods
TenseMelancholicDread
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Bleak · 8% of filmsBrooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Episodic · 13% of films: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.
ToneThe film depicts Monroe's life as a relentless tragedy with a cold, surreal aesthetic, never undercutting its own horror.
The rideThe film maintains a persistent sense of unease and sorrow, with intense emotional peaks spread across the narrative.
StructureThe narrative jumps between key episodes in Monroe's life, each presented as a distinct chapter rather than a continuous arc.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Devastated.

The answer rests on this: Devastating · 3% of filmsHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's relentless tragedy and unflinching depiction of exploitation leave a heavy, lingering sense of sorrow and unease.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe film traces Norma Jeane's life as a tragic spiral of exploitation, loss, and mental decline, where external forces repeatedly crush her hopes.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% (this title) · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsFame · 3% of filmsFamily bonds
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film interrogates the split between Norma Jeane and the constructed Marilyn Monroe, and how fame and familial trauma consume her sense of self.
StanceThe film mourns the destruction of Norma Jeane's identity by fame and trauma, presenting her story as a tragedy rather than a celebration.

The world

Mid 20th centuryInstitutionalDomesticStylized realism
AmbientOrchestral modernForeground music · original score · Nick Cave
SettingHollywood from the 1940s to the 1960s, seen through Monroe's subjective, often nightmarish perspective.
MusicThe score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis is haunting and ethereal, amplifying the film's dreamlike dread.

Content guide

Is Blonde okay for kids?

NC-17

Blonde is rated NC-17: “Rated NC-17 for some sexual content” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (72/100), sexual content at severe (82/100), language at intense (68/100), drug and alcohol content at severe (81/100) and frightening material at severe (81/100). Overall it is heavier than 73% of NC-17-rated films.

Ratings in 35 other countries
  • UK18
  • CanadaR
  • AustraliaR18+
  • Germany18
  • France16
  • Ireland16
  • New ZealandR18
  • JapanR18+
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil18
  • AE18+
  • Argentina+18
  • Belgium16
  • EC18
  • EG18+
  • GreeceK18
  • Hong KongIII
  • ID21+
  • IndiaA
  • Israel18
  • ItalyVM18
  • MexicoC
  • MOD
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway18
  • PhilippinesR-18
  • Poland18
  • RO18+
  • SingaporeR21
  • South Africa18
  • Spain18
  • Taiwan18+
  • TH20
  • Türkiye18+
  • UA18+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 94% of all filmsHeavier than 73% of NC-17-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an NC-17-rated film
heavier than 42%
Sex & Nudity
Severe
typical for an NC-17-rated film
heavier than 72%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an NC-17-rated film
heavier than 56%
Alcohol & Drugs
Severe
heavy for an NC-17-rated film
heavier than 85%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
typical for an NC-17-rated film
heavier than 58%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: sexual content, frightening material, drug and alcohol content, violence, and language.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Blonde have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Blonde?

Cast

3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Ana de Armas
as Norma Jeane
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Adrien Brody
as The Playwright
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Bobby Cannavale
as Ex-Athlete
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sara Paxton
as Miss Flynn
Lucy DeVito
as Ex-Athlete's Niece
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Julianne Nicholson
as Gladys
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Scoot McNairy
as Tommy Ewell
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Xavier Samuel
as Cass Chaplin
Caspar Phillipson
as The President
Evan Williams
as Eddy Robinson Jr.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Blonde?

Movies like Blonde include Judy (2019), Sylvia (2003) and Revolutionary Road (2008). Of the 12 closest matches, several are stories about husbands and wives, and half are films set in the 1950s.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 12 share its story type: period drama. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Blonde?

6.9K other films share the rarest tag below, up against: a regime. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.