Released in 2020, Emerald Fennell's writer-director debut is about a young woman haunted by a tragic past taking revenge on the predatory men that cross her path.
4 stars
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Movie review
Promising Young Woman is a brilliant-but-divisive debut from writer-director Emerald Fennell. The movie is tragic, darkly comic, and certainly leaves an impression.
The film is a timely, intelligent, and tragic reworking of the revenge thriller. It subverts in that it's nowhere near as violent as other films in the genre (think: I Spit on Your Grave), and the comeuppance of the villains is handled very differently, as is the catharsis of the protagonist.
The casting is mostly excellent; starring Carey Mulligan in what may be one of her most memorable roles (hard to say for sure as she was excellent in movies like Wildfire, and impactful in 2011's Drive).
The series of "nice guys" we meet are casted brilliantly, with Bo Burnham being asked to shoulder some interesting complexity. He mostly succeeds, though I think his character quickly becomes the weakest depiction as soon as it moves past the initial premise.
Promising Young Woman is a beautiful-looking film with an almost bubblegum-pop aesthetic and soundtrack to it, creating a stark contrast to the very dark subject matter. It's sure to leave and impression, and regardless whether you like or dislike it, you're unlikely to not have an opinion on it.
Are there any animals in Promising Young Woman
No.
Should you watch Promising Young Woman
I enjoyed Promising Young Woman. I thought it was a brilliantly made subversion of the revenge thriller genre with Carey Mulligan delivering a tragic and complex performance.
However, the movie does deal with some very serious topics. Depending on your sensitivities, Promising Young Woman's plot can be potentially triggering or simply infuriating.
4 stars.
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