Promising Young Woman review

 

Promising Young Woman is director and writer Emerald Fennel's first feature debut behind the camera as a director. Starring Carey Mulligan as a woman named Cassandra Promising Young Woman is a story about revenge, love, heartbreak and the willingness to either do the right thing or not. Right from the get go the visual style of this movie pops off the screen as we're introduced to Cassandra's night time routine. You see this isn't your average happy go lucky story about a woman being successful. Instead it's seriously dark at points especially as the movie goes on. Cassandra's night time routine includes going to a bar pretending to get silly drunk in hoping that a man will come up to her and offer to take her home. What follows is a host of ''nice guys'' showing their true colors as not only is Cassandra stone cold sober in all of these outings but she is doing it all in a way to expose even the cleanest cut of men. But why is she doing this? well that's where the movie gets all it's emotions from as Cassandra's friend Nina had been sexually assaulted years ago which impacted her life so much that it was cut short and she passed away. Cassandra's quest for justice and revenge for her friend leads her on a wild goose chase at first but as the movie goes on on and chips keep stacking up it all falls into place..

Performance wise Promising Young Woman is stellar. Carey Mulligan is just incredible here with emotions both high and low on show. Her love for her friend and wanting to bring those who caused her trauma rings true very effectively. Alfred Molina, Alison Brie, Bo Burnham and more back her up quite well also but it's the Carey Mulligan show through and through. Of course it's not all doom and gloom throughout as there is some pure wholesome scenes one including Cassandra and her doctor boyfriend Ryan dancing to a Paris Hilton song of all things in a pharmacy as everyone in the store watches on. Even a normal family dinner scene talks place but to say this movie is all cheery and happy would be false. There is a giant focus on the impact of sexual assault and abuse and what it can do to a person. It can literally soul crushing, a burden that will never leave you. Emerald Fennel really nails home the narrative in all these aspects and proves her immense talent as a story teller from both a writing and directing standpoint. 

Once it all ends however you won't just up and turn off the TV or exit the room rather you'll sit and reflect on what just happened. The ending at first look was genuinely one of the darkest things I've seen in some times but there is a great rug pull out moment that rectifies things. This movie is not so much the #MeToo hashtag more like you're next as the revenge theme breathes heavily on the narrative. Carey Mulligan is superb throughout and in summary Promising Young Woman is one of the finest most awe-inspiring pieces of cinema I've seen in quite some time. This is one you really have to see!

★★★★★