The opening of Promising Young Woman throws us directly into a situation that most of us recognize extremely well; it’s familiar and so uncomfortable. From there the story branches out in unexpected directions while always making sure it sends out a clear message to the audience.
This is a very provocative piece of post-metoo feminist cinema, following a young woman’s personal crusade to rid this world of all the trash that sometimes makes it a rotten place to live in as a woman. These people aren’t just sexually desperate men, but also many women acting like trash or turning the other cheek to all these problems. The fact that the script manages to deliver a clear message, while not falling for too narrow a perspective, ensures that most viewers will find something to enjoy here.
Carey Mulligan has been under the radar for so long that her performance here feels like an explosive comeback. She shows such confidence, versatility and explosive force that she steals every single scene she is in.
What this film does extremely well is showing the twisted ways in which many men exploit and treat women; an ugly phenomenon, which, unfortunately, feels so natural that most of us don’t even think about it.
Director-writer Emerald Fennell expertly shifts from perfectly normal, mostly direct angles to slowly moving close-ups, unusually framed shots and abrupt cuts, seasoned with a great score consisting of catchy covers and ominous instrumental pieces. These techniques help underline the contrast between the intentionally clichéd story elements and the more effectively delivered feminist messages.
While the basic plot sees Cassie seek out revenge for those, who have wronged her, it is also a great analogy for more deeply rooted problems with some men and women in our society. Seeing Cassie bend the rules of what is socially acceptable and boldly exploit the situations he finds herself in for her personal satisfaction is somehow oddly satisfying.
Despite featuring a variety of different tones, from the cheesy to the intense, to the uncomfortable and the funny, the script, directing and acting mixes all of these tones seamlessly into a wholly rewarding watching experience.
I don’t know which part of the plot is more tense or interesting; Cassie’s personal crusade or her slowly evolving relationship with the decent pediatric doctor Ryan, which steadily makes her re-evaluate her life and her priorities.
Despite the obvious twists in the final act, that final 30 minutes is a pulse-pounding thrill-ride made all the better by Mulligan’s performance. It all leads to the satisfying climax and finale, which is both uncomfortable and tense in every possible way. The very end made me want to jump up and down out of joy because it felt so incredibly satisfying
That climactic sequence on the bed, with Al slowly choking the life out of Cassie, might very well be one of the most powerful film deaths I’ve seen. It’s painfully slow and excruciatingly uncomfortable, yet so tense.
THE BAD:
There better be a 4-hour director’s cut, because this one was way too short!
THE UGLY:
Anybody else who kept thinking of Harley Quinn during the final act?
THE VERDICT:
A thrilling, uncomfortable and rewarding feminist piece of cinema, perfectly bringing up current societal issues and dealing with them in ways that will surely satisfy female and male viewers alike.
Review by Theo KallströmVIP 6BlockedParentSpoilers2021-04-09T11:52:45Z
THE BETTER: ‘PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN’
WRITING: 85
ACTING: 100
LOOK: 90
SOUND: 100
FEEL: 95
NOVELTY: 95
ENJOYMENT: 100
RE-WATCHABILITY: 100
INTRIGUE: 100
EXPECTATIONS: 100
THE GOOD:
The opening of Promising Young Woman throws us directly into a situation that most of us recognize extremely well; it’s familiar and so uncomfortable. From there the story branches out in unexpected directions while always making sure it sends out a clear message to the audience.
This is a very provocative piece of post-metoo feminist cinema, following a young woman’s personal crusade to rid this world of all the trash that sometimes makes it a rotten place to live in as a woman. These people aren’t just sexually desperate men, but also many women acting like trash or turning the other cheek to all these problems. The fact that the script manages to deliver a clear message, while not falling for too narrow a perspective, ensures that most viewers will find something to enjoy here.
Carey Mulligan has been under the radar for so long that her performance here feels like an explosive comeback. She shows such confidence, versatility and explosive force that she steals every single scene she is in.
What this film does extremely well is showing the twisted ways in which many men exploit and treat women; an ugly phenomenon, which, unfortunately, feels so natural that most of us don’t even think about it.
Director-writer Emerald Fennell expertly shifts from perfectly normal, mostly direct angles to slowly moving close-ups, unusually framed shots and abrupt cuts, seasoned with a great score consisting of catchy covers and ominous instrumental pieces. These techniques help underline the contrast between the intentionally clichéd story elements and the more effectively delivered feminist messages.
While the basic plot sees Cassie seek out revenge for those, who have wronged her, it is also a great analogy for more deeply rooted problems with some men and women in our society. Seeing Cassie bend the rules of what is socially acceptable and boldly exploit the situations he finds herself in for her personal satisfaction is somehow oddly satisfying.
Despite featuring a variety of different tones, from the cheesy to the intense, to the uncomfortable and the funny, the script, directing and acting mixes all of these tones seamlessly into a wholly rewarding watching experience.
I don’t know which part of the plot is more tense or interesting; Cassie’s personal crusade or her slowly evolving relationship with the decent pediatric doctor Ryan, which steadily makes her re-evaluate her life and her priorities.
Despite the obvious twists in the final act, that final 30 minutes is a pulse-pounding thrill-ride made all the better by Mulligan’s performance. It all leads to the satisfying climax and finale, which is both uncomfortable and tense in every possible way. The very end made me want to jump up and down out of joy because it felt so incredibly satisfying
That climactic sequence on the bed, with Al slowly choking the life out of Cassie, might very well be one of the most powerful film deaths I’ve seen. It’s painfully slow and excruciatingly uncomfortable, yet so tense.
THE BAD:
There better be a 4-hour director’s cut, because this one was way too short!
THE UGLY:
Anybody else who kept thinking of Harley Quinn during the final act?
THE VERDICT:
A thrilling, uncomfortable and rewarding feminist piece of cinema, perfectly bringing up current societal issues and dealing with them in ways that will surely satisfy female and male viewers alike.
97% = :white_check_mark::white_check_mark: = BETTER