Blonde Review: 7 Ups & 3 Downs

5. The Surreal, Dreamlike Visuals

Despite the overpowering ugliness of what Monroe is subjected to throughout the film, this is a gorgeously mounted piece of work, courtesy of both Dominik's trained eye for compelling imagery and the fine work of his cinematographer Chayse Irvin.

The film is a basically dreamlike collage of focal lengths and aspect ratios, of colour and monochrome, creating a deeply elevated aesthetic which enhances the feeling that, indeed, we're watching something half-remembered - after all, Blonde never professes to be entirely factual.

Not all of the choices work, for sure, but there's a fascinating playfulness to the sheer sensory assault throughout. No tool in the box was evidently off-limits for Dominik, and while he sometimes goes overboard, this is a majestic-looking piece of work more often than not.