This lady's journey in the fast lane had a mesmerizing effect on the public when you consider the interest in her life story has remained consistent with people over the years. There was a film done about her in 2007 then just this year Netflix put our their own documentary. I can't speak on those, but this Lifetime made-for-tv movie 'Anna Nicole' does a solid job without much compromise.
Working both for the folks who know the finer details and the crowd who only know the basics. From childhood to adult we see the good times, the bad and everything in between that made this woman who she was. The first 60 seconds itself is a montage of her success, the dizzying highs, celebrity factor and then abruptly her death. Showing her laying on a cold morgue slab the reality comes crashing home in an abrupt way.
Agnes Bruckner does a fantastic job not just physically, but emotionally as a women who buckled under the weight of her own poor choices and demons. Supported by known faces such as Virginia Madsen who plays ANS's mother, Martin Landau giving a balanced performance as J. Howard Marshall - the elderly man that changed her life in many ways. Then there's Cary Elwes as the man's son who tried to look out for his dads interests both before and after his death and Adam Goldberg portraying her overly devoted lawyer Howard K. Stern.
I appreciate how they got the little things right. Her fondness for Marilyn Monroe (an idea later trumped up by Playboy) and her undeniable love for her son Danny. They also don't shy away from the ugly details - her drug use, alcohol, excess partying - plus her lust for money, shabby treatment of Mr. Marshall isn't glossed over. Then there's the major bullet points - getting implants as a stripper, the Guess gig, doing action films, reality tv show, weight gain, second baby, her son's death.
'Anna Nicole' is a finely made-for-tv movie that doesn't sacrifice much factually or emotionally delivering an entertaining 90 minute runtime on the not so forgotten lady. The only mistake you could make is thinking this tv made movie is lacking depth. Anna Nicole Smith's life story has no deeper layers. This is as good as it gets.
Working both for the folks who know the finer details and the crowd who only know the basics. From childhood to adult we see the good times, the bad and everything in between that made this woman who she was. The first 60 seconds itself is a montage of her success, the dizzying highs, celebrity factor and then abruptly her death. Showing her laying on a cold morgue slab the reality comes crashing home in an abrupt way.
Agnes Bruckner does a fantastic job not just physically, but emotionally as a women who buckled under the weight of her own poor choices and demons. Supported by known faces such as Virginia Madsen who plays ANS's mother, Martin Landau giving a balanced performance as J. Howard Marshall - the elderly man that changed her life in many ways. Then there's Cary Elwes as the man's son who tried to look out for his dads interests both before and after his death and Adam Goldberg portraying her overly devoted lawyer Howard K. Stern.
I appreciate how they got the little things right. Her fondness for Marilyn Monroe (an idea later trumped up by Playboy) and her undeniable love for her son Danny. They also don't shy away from the ugly details - her drug use, alcohol, excess partying - plus her lust for money, shabby treatment of Mr. Marshall isn't glossed over. Then there's the major bullet points - getting implants as a stripper, the Guess gig, doing action films, reality tv show, weight gain, second baby, her son's death.
'Anna Nicole' is a finely made-for-tv movie that doesn't sacrifice much factually or emotionally delivering an entertaining 90 minute runtime on the not so forgotten lady. The only mistake you could make is thinking this tv made movie is lacking depth. Anna Nicole Smith's life story has no deeper layers. This is as good as it gets.