Promising Young Woman

By: Jennifer Verzuh

A colorful palette, fun pop soundtrack, eye-catching outfits and sharp wit populate the world of Promising Young Woman. However, so does grief, guilt and sexual assault and the ugly, shaming culture that surrounds it. It’s a juxtaposition that seems almost offensive, but works brilliantly in creating an entertaining and engaging watch that is also one of the most important and impactful films of the year.

Promising Young Woman is a lot like it’s protagonist Cassie (Carey Mulligan): smart, funny, stylish and brazen, but also deeply, justifiably angry and hurt. When we meet her it’s years after her career at medical school was cut short due to a traumatic incident that occurred there. Now, she works by day at a coffee shop and lives at home with her parents, seemingly lacking any ambition. But she’s living a double life and at night frequents bars where she pretends that she is too drunk to stand. Then, she waits until she’s inevitably taken home by a “nice guy” and disrupts his plans to sexually assault her. In the midst of this she reconnects with a former classmate and decides it’s time to exact revenge on those who played a part in the initial assault of someone she loved and the fallout.

The film is remarkably cast with strong, notable performers in even the smallest roles. Bo Burnham, Laverne Cox, Jennifer Coolidge, Alison Brie and Chris Lowell all give fantastic and fascinating supporting performances as Cassie’s friends, family and enemies. Connie Britton, Molly Shannon, Alfred Molina, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Adam Brody also briefly appear, but even in their very limited screen time they make a real impact.

The movie truly belongs to Mulligan though. In an already very impressive and varied career, she’s never had a role like this before. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to name an actress who has. She has to utilize both her comedic and dramatic acting skills here and does so expertly. Even in scenes where Cassie is making a joke or confidently threatening someone, Mulligan reveals the feelings of loss, vulnerability and regret that exist within her and goes deeper than even her anger or desire for revenge. She and writer-director Emerald Fennell (“Killing Eve”) have created a character that is destined to stand out and be remembered and admired for years to come.

Fennell had the challenging task here of making a film that directly addresses rape and a system that protects predatory men while blaming victims. But it’s how she crafts this story that makes it particularly effective and unique. It’s hard to picture any other writer or filmmaker making the same bold choices as she does here, embracing flair, fiery rage and humor while dealing so empathetically with these subjects.

And thank goodness Fennell does take these chances, as her unique tone allows for a more cathartic, rounded and satisfying experience. Yet, the film still leaves behind a dark, nasty bruise on its viewers. This is one of the uglier and angrier pieces of media this year, but it comes in a deceptively beautiful package. Enjoy it, but at your own risk.