---
title: "My Week with Marilyn: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/my-week-with-marilyn/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/my-week-with-marilyn"
critics_score: 59
critics_reviews: 21
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# My Week with Marilyn (2011): what the critics said

Critics' score 59 from 21 reviews: 8 positive, 7 mixed, 6 negative.

The reviews are mixed, with praise clustering around Michelle Williams rather than the film surrounding her. Most critics credit her with capturing Monroe’s charisma and vulnerability, finding feeling in the physical mannerisms rather than merely a recognisable impersonation. Kenneth Branagh’s Olivier also draws praise for his comic timing and vivid presence. Admirers find the backstage story witty, touching and entertaining; even several detractors make room for the performances.

The divide is over how much those performances can compensate for a slight, sometimes superficial account of Monroe. Some critics accept the lightness, while others find too little drama or curiosity about its subject. The spread is wide, from warm approval to outright rejection. Williams is not exempt from dissent: IndieWire finds her portrayal thin and the script short on insight. Eye for Film goes further in rejecting the film’s treatment of its subject, calling it conventional and emotionally dishonest.

## Radio Times — Stella Papamichael

Rating 4/5. 

Papamichael finds the adaptation beguiling and the backstage story more intriguing than the film’s premise. She singles out Michelle Williams for a captivating performance as Marilyn.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-tvdhvy/my-week-with-marilyn/)

## Total Film — Neil Smith

Rating 4/5. 23 November 2011. 

The review finds the film witty, affecting and hugely entertaining, despite its modest, occasionally ill-suited big-screen style. It especially praises Michelle Williams’s heartbreaking performance and her imitation of Monroe’s singing voice.

[Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/my-week-with-marilyn-review/)

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 24 November 2011. 

Bradshaw finds the film entertaining and pleasurable, though ultimately insubstantial. He singles out Michelle Williams and Kenneth Branagh for their vivid performances as Monroe and Olivier.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/nov/24/my-week-with-marilyn-review)

## The New Yorker

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 

The critic finds the film charming and touching, with Michelle Williams convincingly capturing Marilyn Monroe. The performance’s physical mannerisms and blend of sexual sweetness and vulnerability receive particular praise.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/my-week-with-marilyn-2)

## Empire — Angie Errigo

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 8 October 2010. 

Errigo finds the film entertaining but slight, with flashes of feeling that keep it engaging. She especially praises Michelle Williams’s performance and Kenneth Branagh’s scene-stealing turn as Olivier.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/week-marilyn-review/)

## Variety — Ronnie Scheib

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 9 October 2011. 

Scheib finds the film succeeds chiefly because of Michelle Williams, while its other elements feel uneven and overly staged. He singles out Williams’s nuanced portrayal of Marilyn’s vulnerability, sexuality, and screen persona as the film’s standout achievement.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2011/film/reviews/my-week-with-marilyn-1117946328/)

## RogerEbert.com

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 

The URL identifies a review of the matching film, but the page text is unavailable. The critic’s verdict and any singled-out praise or complaint cannot be established from the blocked page.

[Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/my-week-with-marilyn-2011)

## The New York Times

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 

The page is identifiable as a review, but its text is unavailable, so the critic’s verdict cannot be verified. No specific praise or complaint can be reliably extracted from the accessible page.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/23/movies/my-week-with-marilyn-with-michelle-williams-review.html)

## IndieWire — Eric Kohn

Rating C+. 9 October 2011. Festival review. 

Kohn finds the film a superficial, overly cheerful crowdpleaser that fails to capture Marilyn Monroe’s complexity. He singles out Williams’s thin impression of Monroe and the script’s lack of insight as key weaknesses.

[Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/news/general/my-week-with-marilyn-has-charm-but-michelle-williams-cant-do-the-subject-justice-51743/)

## Time Out — Dave Calhoun

Rating 3/5. 22 November 2011. 

The review sees a touch of sad wish-fulfilment in Colin Clark’s account. The accessible text does not reveal what the critic singles out for praise or complaint.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/my-week-with-marilyn-1)

## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney

Fi1m's normalised score 42/100 (inferred from the text). 9 October 2011. Festival review. 

Rooney finds the film entertaining chiefly because of Michelle Williams, while judging the rest superficial and lacking in depth. He singles out Williams’s layered, nuanced performance as the film’s defining strength.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/my-week-marilyn-film-review-245985/)

## Evening Standard — David Sexton

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2012. 

The critic finds the film charming but ultimately a big tease that fails to satisfy. Michelle Williams is singled out for vividly capturing Marilyn Monroe’s mix of sex appeal, vulnerability and manipulation.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/my-week-with-marilyn-review-7427746.html)

## Slant Magazine — Jaime N. Christley

Rating 1/4. 10 October 2011. 

Christley finds the film incoherent and overly engineered as an Oscar campaign, with little substance beyond its performances. Michelle Williams’s characterization of Marilyn through movement and posture is singled out for praise, alongside enjoyable turns from Kenneth Branagh and Judi Dench.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/my-week-with-marilyn/)

## Digital Spy — Stella Papamichael

Rating 4/5. 22 November 2011. 

Papamichael finds the film a joyous, nostalgic affair, though it keeps Marilyn’s struggles in the background. She praises Michelle Williams for bringing soul to the role and Kenneth Branagh for his comic timing.

[Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a349794/my-week-with-marilyn-review/)

## /Film — Germain Lussier

Rating 8/10. 8 November 2011. Festival review. 

Lussier finds the film fantastic, fun, and an entertaining love letter to movies and celebrity, despite its obvious message. He singles out Michelle Williams’s performance as a marvel, with the supporting cast also enhancing the film.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/518417/my-week-marilyn-review-entertaining-love-letter-movies-celebrity/)

## Paste — Caitlin Colford

Rating 6.9. 7 December 2011. 

Colford finds the film entertaining and informative but lacking in drama, with Williams’s performance carrying it. She particularly praises Williams’s capture of Monroe’s charisma and instability, also noting Branagh’s strong performance.

[Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/my-week-with-marilyn)

## Collider — Bill Graham

Rating B-. 25 November 2011. 

Graham finds the film light and entertaining, though not especially lasting or probing. He singles out Michelle Williams’ charismatic performance for capturing both Monroe’s allure and her struggles.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/my-week-with-marilyn-review/)

## Den of Geek — Luke Holland

Rating 3/5. 21 November 2011. 

Holland finds the film pleasant and diverting but ultimately harmless and inconsequential. He singles out Michelle Williams’s striking performance as its standout, while wishing the film explored Monroe more deeply.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/my-week-with-marilyn-review-2/)

## The Playlist

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 22 November 2011. 

The headline indicates a mildly negative verdict, describing the film as slight and superficial. It singles out the film’s resemblance to a Lifetime movie as a complaint.

[Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/review-a-slight-superficial-my-week-with-marilyn-often-resembles-a-lifetime-movie-20111122/)

## The Wrap

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 22 November 2011. 

The critic finds the film bland and unfocused, despite its fascinating subject. Williams’s convincing portrayal of Monroe and Branagh’s Olivier are singled out for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/my-week-marilyn-some-it-not-33012/)

## Eye for Film — Anne-Katrin Titze

Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 11 October 2011. 

Titze strongly pans the film as conventional and emotionally dishonest. She singles out the car scene accompanied by “Autumn Leaves” as a rare moment that feels honest and true.

[Read the review](http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/my-week-with-marilyn-film-review-by-anne-katrin-titze)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/my-week-with-marilyn.md