Every woman watching this movie will secretly cheer on Carey Milligan’s antihero to finish what she started. It’s not often I want to give a movie five probe points but wow, this is an absolutely incredible thriller about female empowerment and the reality of messy revenge. Directed and written by Emerald Fennell this heroic feminist tale could be seen as damaging but I personally think it brings light to the darker reality of being a woman in today’s society. As well as sending a message about female safety and toxic masculinity, Promising Young Woman (2020) shows us the inner workings behind sexual assault and how truly harmful it can be, not only to the victim but to those surrounding them.
The central plot line follows Cassie's life, where nothing is what it appears to be -- she's wickedly smart, tantalisingly cunning, and she's living a secret double life by night. Now, an unexpected encounter with a popular ex med-school asshole, is about to give Cassie a chance to right the wrongs from the past. Cassie is haunted by her best friend, Nina’s sexual assault and later her passing. Cassie cannot move on knowing those who assaulted her friend can live their lives without consequence... so she takes it upon herself to trap them in a specially calculated plan.
This movie is perfect down to every single element, it’s acting is superb, the writing is complex, captivating and visually it’s an explosion of bubblegum pink aesthetics that cleverly juggles female stereotypes and venerability throughout the movies cinematography. Emerald Fennell is the next big thing, she deserves all the awards nominated for this film, it is a winner in my eyes for every category.
Being a woman I feel incredibly protective of this project and I urge everyone to watch it as soon as possible, yes, it is an entertaining thriller that dramatises crime but also interwoven into the narrative is an overwhelming amount of truth. Promising Young Woman (2020) displays and draws attention to everything wrong with modern society, primarily the consequences of silence and how destructive simply ‘saying nothing’ can be. This film shocks us to stop being complicit and I absolutely adore and respect the courage it must have taken to go to these places.
Although it is hard to imagine this films plot as fact, it simply is. Women on go these types of scenarios day in and day out, some harmless and some serious, nonetheless women must realise enough is enough and we, as a gender, deserve better! Now, I am fully aware some may take this film as an attack on men, which is most certainly is not, but in saying that it is a commentary on a specific type of man. A type of man that does take advantage, a type of man that just sits back and watches, the type of man who would prefer to say nothing… these people exist and that is why I love this movie and its sheer confidence. This is a political movie, whether it was originally trying to be or not, this movie is a beacon of hope for women to finally realise we can take charge of our own lives and we don’t need to be complicit.
I adore this movie and I could talk about it forever. I truly hope it impacted you as much as it did me, its a poetic, heroic tale of female power and how capable women truly are.
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