Promising Young Woman
Edwin Arnaudin: Marred by numerous release delays, the year in film has been defined more by what’s missing than the titles that have made it to viewers’ eyeballs. While the wide-open market and the rise in streaming and VOD have allowed a greater number of appealing indie films and documentaries to get attention they otherwise wouldn’t have received, quality thrillers and dark comedies have felt like an endangered species. Does the genre-blending Promising Young Woman fill that void?
Bruce Steele: Absolutely. I was immediately mesmerized by Promising Young Woman — from the surprise twist in the very first sequence. And it kept me riveted throughout. It presents as a kind of revenge fantasy: The meaningfully named Cassandra (Carey Mulligan) is living at home and working at a dead-end coffee-shop job after dropping out of medical school in the wake of a traumatic incident. A chance encounter with former med school classmate Ryan (Bo Burnham) seems to activate her, like a sleeper agent, to get even with the perpetrators and enablers. But it's never that simple. What it is, though, is smartly written and stylishly directed by actor-turned-writer/director Emerald Fennell. Were you impressed by this debut feature?
Edwin: Early and often! To the point that I feel the need to get my act together and finally watch Killing Eve so that I can see the Fennell-run second season and bask some more in her brilliance. It’s such an accomplished and confident film on every conceivable level — writing, directing, acting, cinematography, editing, musical choices — that it feels like the work of someone with far more feature film experience. And yet, like our beloved Thoroughbreds, it’s often first-timers who most successfully blend styles and breathe new life into seemingly well-worn territory.
Bruce: Thoroughbreds is the perfect comparison: It's fresh, arch and yet emotionally involving, and meticulously planned while keeping viewers off balance. Both films also take on the difficult subjects of sexual exploitation and possible mental imbalance. Just as with Olivia Cooke's character in Thoroughbreds, it's not clear whether Cassandra is mentally ill, untethered from morality, or just working from her own skewed compass — and I like that both movies leave it to us to judge. Not surprisingly, these topics are front and center as well in Killing Eve, the first two seasons of which are great, groundbreaking TV, with amazing actresses at work. Did this movie change your opinion of Mulligan's talents?
Edwin: It enhanced my appreciation…so, yes? I’ve been a fan since An Education and thought I knew what “a Carey Mulligan performance” was, but I'm pleasantly surprised to see her show such amazing range here. She gives one of those rare nuanced, genre-blending, pulpy performances that appeals to critics and channel-surfers alike, and one that benefits from her writer/director's masterful approach to ensemble acting.
Fennell recruits such talented stars as Alison Brie, Connie Britton, Jennifer Coolidge, Laverne Cox, Alfred Molina, Clancy Brown, and Molly Shannon to play meaningful rules while contributing what appears to be 1-2 days of shooting apiece. The same time commitment seems likely for Adam Brody, Sam Richardson (Veep), and Christopher Mintz-Plasse as some of the “nice guys” that Cassandra shames into reconsidering their “helpful” ways with inebriated women. The parade of gifted performers leaves the heavy lifting for Mulligan and Burnham (who’s hilarious), and both make good on the trust Fennell places in them.
Bruce: It is quite a cast, and no one is showboating. Burnham is hilarious and seemingly at ease, and Mulligan's Cassandra has some fun with him amid her bouts of being possibly unhinged. I think one thing we may be underplaying here is just how enjoyable this movie is. It's creepy and intense, certainly, but it's also playful and funny, and it's that balance Fennell achieves that holds it all together.
Edwin: It’s not every film that's willing to go this dark yet also have a bubbly, pharmacy-set dance sequence cued to Paris Hilton's "Stars Are Blind” and not have it feel out of place. And even some of the intense moments inspire chuckles, including Cassandra’s handling of catcalling construction workers and an impatient motorist. It’s an impressive tonal tightrope that’s consistent with Cassandra herself — a largely unlikable character with a laudable mission who gradually reveals more appealing sides of her personality. This well-rounded achievement gets a hearty A-minus from me.
Bruce: "Tightrope" is a good metaphor. This movie is tight in every way, including in its delicate balance of suspense and humor. Even so, there's been some backlash from women who think it gets a bit too dark, which is a shame. The complaint seems to be that the film doesn't provide neat justice for abuse survivors. I do understand if some survivors may want to skip Promising Young Woman as triggering, but wishing that the plot was tied up with a neat bow discounts the great weight this modern fable gives to the suffering caused by abuse. The ending maybe isn't what you might wish going in, but it is perfect for this (fictional) character and this (metaphoric) film. I have no complaints and give it a solid A.
Grade: A. Rated R. Now playing at AMC River Hills 10 and the Carolina Cinemark
(Photos: Merie Weismiller Wallace / Focus Features)
