I have 3 little ones. Two boys and a girl. On one hand, I'd never want my sons to be accused of or punished for something they DIDN'T do, on the other hand I'd never want anything to happen to my daughter & then especially no one believe her. I myself went through my own "event" at a Halloween party almost ten years ago when I was a young 20 year old girl. I think what hurts more than the actual night, and the person who did it, it's all the family and close friends who didn't believe me, ignored me, or even blamed me. After a while you just stop talking about it. You shut it away. & Then this brilliant movie comes into your life. This movie sends two clear messages: It doesn't matter what you were wearing, how much you had to drink, your past relationships, if you made the first move... If you weren't cognitive enough to make a consensual choice, or you said no, or you fought it, seriously it WAS NOT your fault. And the other clear message, she gave each guy in the movie a chance to do the right thing and they chose not to. They actively chose to make the wrong choice. So, they were completely at fault and deserved their day of reckoning. I only wish I had a friend even half the character Cassie is in this movie. My best friend since we were children said it was my fault because I was dressed too sexy (I was dressed in a 1920's flapper costume from Walmart & had a hoodie on top of it). We haven't spoken in years because of that. Today, her words still haunt me more than that night and make me sick to my stomach. You're loved ones should have your back more than anyone. So the message of true devotion in friendship and sisterhood here was especially lovely. This isn't something that happens exclusively to only a certain type of woman, this happens to all women. & Movies like this will be how we put an end to it for our future, our children & loved ones.
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Bluereviews4you18 January 2021It is a bit slow moving and less exciting than the trailer suggested, but it was a very unique premise for a movie and it was done quite well. The ending was a shock!
It was a great move to cast such likable actors in the roles of the predators/rapists, depicting the idea that these kinds of people hide behind their smiles, popularity, and success.
It was also interesting to note that no details are elaborated about the sexual assault incidents-implying that we don't need the details to understand that sexual assault is reprehensible across the board, no matter what type.
Some people say this is movie was "anti-man" because men are primarily antagonists, but clearly they are forgetting the female dean (represents the system), her mother (who is emotionally unavailable and self absorbed), and Alison Brie's character (willfully ignorant). Many different parties were responsible for what happened-men and women-especially when it came to find justice. The protagonist herself was in a questionable gray area too with some of her vigilante actions. Also the lawyer could be considered a redeemed character, the only one really, and he's a man.
The ending was unexpected and satisfying in its own way, but definitely shocking and left me reeling for a bit after. Bold move by the creators! I'd recommend this film, it was a good watch. -
Wow - an acting masterclass from Carey Mulligan. And if this film can make one person think twice about taking advantage of someone who can't defend themself it has done it's job. But it's a lot more than a film that sends a powerful message. It is sinister entertainment at its best. Wonderful.
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matrixdukenukem26 January 2021Best thing about this movie is, it doesn't try to be clever or something it's not. Or maybe it's Carey Mulligan. Can't decide. It's a straight forward no nonsense revenge thriller that isn't like I spit on your grave or rather Hard Candy (which I expected it to be). It's just a very simple collective of 5 part story told cohesively and many people (on both ends and in middle) will find relatable.
Special mention to the father daughter scene.
Very well written, well shot, directed, scored and acted movie. And yes negative reviews are trying to sound clever but everyone knows they saw themselves in there. -
paulclaassen27 March 2023Many of the modern vengeance films are brutal and gory; many boasts incredible fight sequences and stunts. 'Promising Young Woman' has neither of these traits. In fact, this is such a different vengeance movie, it is refreshingly original. I suppose in a way once could refer to it as psychological vengeance.
Carey Mulligan delivers a fantastic performance as Cassandra, the titular Promising Young Woman. Every week she goes to a club and pretend to be too drunk to stand. Every time a 'nice guy' picks her up, and is ready to take advantage of a drunk woman. Then, at the most awkward moment, these 'nice guys' then find out the girl is not drunk - and she rightfully puts them in their place. The film also serves as a warning to guys who take advantage of drunk women. (Hell, are straight guys really such douce bags???)
Seven years ago, Cassandra and her best friend Nina dropped out of med school after a tragic incident. She now works in a coffee shop whilst planning her revenge on the perpetrators. The film takes its time telling us exactly what happened to Nina, and I found this very effective. I enjoyed this mystery element. The entire time I was aware something terrible happened but didn't know what until it was revealed. I rather liked this approach.
The love interest comes in the form of pediatrician Ryan (Bo Burnham), who went to med school with Cassandra. Its not your average romance story, and I enjoyed this approach, too. 'Promising Young Woman' is not really a fast-paced movie, but its not slow either - and I was captivated all the way.
There are many twists and turns and events I never saw coming. The film does not have the ending I was hoping for, but I'm not going to do spoilers. Let's just say this is a very good and very realistic vengeance movie with a great script, and it most certainly is unpredictable! I do believe women will relate more to the film than men, but either way, this was an entertaining watch. The film also highlighted issues that might make you ponder on afterwards. -
rachellebogart15 January 2021This movie blew me away. I went through basically the entire range of emotions before the movie was even over. It hit on everything that's made me so angry for such a long time. It was a vessel of that rage and it felt so good to see it depicted. More than that though, it felt like a story about the deep love we have for our friends. The message was amazing in my opinion.....and the ending was perfect!
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stephaniepincince29 September 2021I watched the trailer for this one a few times before it was able to be streamed on my streaming service. It honestly did not have the ending I was hoping for- but I think it may have ended even better. The plot, the characters, the cute relationship between Cassandra and Ryan, the backstory, the plot twists (especially THE twist that made me "oh my God. NO." - I loved it ALL. I can't say I'm a huge fan of the main actress, typically, but she did a phenomenal job and deserves so much praise. This is a difficult topic and, at times, this was difficult to watch. But it's important that we talk about it. This one was good.
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jerelinnanen19 March 2021Just go see it with your mind open. Don't think about your own life, your ego or status. Let your guard down and take in the visually stunning genre glitch of a film Promising Young Woman is. Let it show you the Other Side.
It can help you understand so much. It can be painful, at first, but it allows you to have meaningful discussions with your friends. It's not about you. It's about the other 50% of the world's population that hadn't really had a voice before.
And what an terrifying, awesome voice it is. And only too justified. -
padawanmovies22 September 2021The subject matter is still sadly something that still needs to be taken seriously in today's society. Needs to be shown especially to college & high school students. Carrie did such a great job, I've never seen her play anything similar to this.
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nsfedyszyn29 December 2020Darkest film I have seen in a very long time. It stays with you in a very uncomfortable way for days after viewing.
Casting and acting is spot on.
Possibly the best film I have ever seen. -
freidap2 February 2021If you are looking for a revenge thriller that the trailer implies then this will not be the movie for you. If you go into the movie without expectations, you may enjoy the ride.
First, I loved the casting of this movie. Almost all actors played a role contrary to their typical type-cast. The direction was also wonderful and playful.
I can see how the central character is frustrating to viewers as she refuses to fulfill expectations by neither taking an extreme nor taking a logical approach to solve a problem and reconcile with reality. This said, the messaging around sexual assault is handled relatively lightly so this movie may be even more frustrating for survivors.
Unlike other reviewers, the end did not ruin the movie for me. I liked the ultimate message as I saw it: a woman must destroy herself completely in the name of justice. -
Stay_away_from_the_Metropol21 January 2021I remember seeing this trailer multiple times the last few times I went to the movie theater before the pandemic started, and I found the trailer pretty exciting. I thought, "Really interesting cast for this type of movie. This looks like it has potential, but it could go both ways..."
Well, ummmmmmm, it definitely went one way, pretty intensely. Not in a good way. The characters are so hollow it almost feels weird to even call them characters. They all feel like parodies of stereotypical archetypes. The protagonist is fully unlikable, and it's the first time I've seen Carey Mulligan in a role where she's as such. Like. Yeah, obviously she's "fighting for a good cause", except she does it in a really horrible, counterproductive manner. It's difficult to tell what the director intended for the audience to feel while watching this film. At first, it feels like it's supposed to be a fun revenge-style B-movie, but you quickly realize that it's almost never funny even when it tries to be and it has almost zero violence, so, it actually has none of the characteristics that would make a B-movie fun. I also figured it would be campy, but it's mostly camp-free as well. It feels like they attempt camp on occasion but it falls flat, especially because it's so seldom and does not match the tone of the rest of the material. I feel like the movie would work way better if these dudes were getting their heads chopped off. On a similar note, there are a lot of attempts of creating either tension or emotional resonance by way of very serious subject matter, but due to the fact that the characters and script are otherwise so one-dimensional, they mostly all fall flat as well. There's not really anyone on the cast who does particularly well with this material, but I'm gonna chalk it up more to the writing and directing here. I'm sure they did the best they could. Alison Brie probably did the best out of anyone, but she's only in two scenes.
The last half hour was perhaps the only compelling part of the film, and the only part that features anything beyond surface level concepts. However, it had some pretty big plot holes IMO. You'd think the point of this film would be to make you cheer for the woman getting revenge on men, but the way it wraps up doesn't really give you satisfaction in that department, or any other for that matter. The wrap-up is intriguing and there were a couple of elements I was not expecting, but it also felt like it didn't actually make enough sense as an ending.
So, not many redeeming values here. What I do appreciate about the movie is its ambition. Other than that, almost nothing. I would not recommend. -
jtindahouse3 January 2021I watched a lot of films in 2020 (167 to be exact) and gave only one of them a perfect 10/10 score. It took exactly one film in 2021 to match that. A sign of good things ahead hopefully. 'Promising Young Woman' is one of those rare treats of a film where you simply don't want it to end. Every aspect of it is perfect. Here's the kicker though - I couldn't wait to find out who the writer/director was afterwards. To my astonishment it was a debut effort from Emerald Fennell. Incredible stuff.
Where to begin with this film? I think my single favourite thing about it was the dialogue. It was so exquisitely written (and performed for that matter). So many films lack any imagination in their dialogue these days, but not this film. It can be charming, charismatic, intriguing, thoughtful, funny and a hundred things in between. Also the music in this movie was perfect. I particularly loved the Toxic instrumental and the use of Angel of the Morning at the end. This is a soundtrack I would buy.
I was aware of Carey Mulligan before this film, but incredibly I had never seen a single one of her films or television shows. I was blown away by how talented she is. The range she shows in one single character in 'Promising Young Woman' is almost beyond belief. I'm not sure if this is the type of film the Academy would ever recognise a performance in, but they absolutely should.
I can't say enough goods things about this movie. It hits every note perfectly. 'Promising Young Woman' was an absolute pleasure to sit through and a film that you simply can't afford to miss. -
sweetemotion228 December 2020It's a comedy, but not really.
It's a thriller, but not really.
There's a romantic element, but it's certainly not a romance film.
I'm not sure exactly how to describe it, except to say that this film crosses several genres, and that I thought it was very creative and interesting. It reminded me a little of 'A Simple Favor', except not quite so dark.
Carey Mulligan is superb. Bo Burnham is very funny. I wanted to punch nearly every other male character in the film. -
vithiet27 January 2021I salute the effort to treat a topic too few movies are willing to tackle. But everything from the teasers to the promotion (imagery, posters, etc.) led me to believe the movie would push the concept a lot further than it did.. In the end I feel this would have made more of an impact if it had either gone a more serious/conservative and realistic route (some situations are quite implausible), OR the complete opposite, with someone being pushed over the edge and devolving into madness/violence a la Joker/John Wick. As it stands the movie is too middle of the road, not knowing what it wants to be, just like the main character and it left me unsatisfied.
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Sleepin_Dragon8 July 2023Cass plays the part of the drunken, incapacitated party girl very, she seems to have one mission, stopping men that would take advantage of the situation, however she has one singular mission, revenge.
This is a terrific story of revenge and consent. It's one of the best films I have seen for some time, no wonder it received to much praise, and so many nominations.
I wonder if they'd thought about making this a slasher movie at any point, vibes of Killing Eve and I spit on your grave, without the gore. Twist after twist, it will keep you on the edge of your seat.
This is one of those films that should be shown to teenagers, and young adults. It shows one thing, not all predators are alike, and they'll always have people who facilitate their behaviour. It also aims to show exactly what is meant by consent.
You'll reach a point in the movie where you'll think it's over, but it isn't, there's another huge twist coming your way, I didn't see it coming.
The one question this raises, is Cass a bad guy or not, it led to a really interesting conversation among my friends, all sorts of opinions.
Oscar nominated for her role, Carey Milligan is fantastic, I've seen her in some great parts, but this must rank as one of her best, her character's development, and sudden shifts in behaviour are extraordinary.
Bo Burnham is excellent in support, he is so good as Cass's distraction, the supporting cast are on point.
Great movie.
9/10. -
wwwzackkerizer3 July 2021Promising young woman is not good enough to win the academy awards. I can't understand this movie included in so many nominations and won. All the nomination listed movies are better than this in 2020.
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mafiagirl-2143128 November 2023So I don't normally talk about the cast of a movie when making a review unless I really like one or more actors/actresses in it but let me just say that purposely casting actors who are genuinely liked and known to be nice or at least known to play the nice characters, was actually genius! Because there's an misconception that rapist are just the weird creepy guys in alleyways when really, it can be anyone, So yeah, genius cast like I said.
Talking of cast, Carrey Mulligan was amazing as Cassie, I still can't believe that people said that she wasn't hot enough to play a "femme fatale" and that Margot Robbie should've played the role, first of all, Carrey Mulligan is extremely beautiful and also Cassie is not a femme fatale, She isn't seducing these men by pretending to be drunk, these men just like to take advantage of drunk women, not saying that Margot Robbie couldn't have played Cassie, she absolutely could have but still, that's not the point.
I've also seen people saying this is just a man hating movie, which is really weird to me because the women in the movie are also shown to suck and can absolutely contribute to rape culture, which is actually something I feel like we don't talk enough about, women can be awful to other women and while that is ultimately a result of the patriarchy, it's still not okay.
Honestly, Gale was the only sane/normal person in this movie, she was a good friend, along with maybe Cassie's parents who also didn't do anything wrong either, by the way, I appreciate the fact that Cassie had a good relationship with her father despite what she does at night.
Although i can't exactly say that Cassie is "crazy" per say... as she never truly hurts anyone, she didn't kill these men like we thought she would because of how it's framed in the trailers, she just torments them a little and the same can be said about what she did to two of the women in the movie, she captures female rage so damn well, she's really smart, badass even, and she's quickly becoming one of my favorite characters in anything ever.
This is absolutely a female Joker movie, minus the killing and extreme violence (although there is some violence, mostly by the end), so okay I guess you could say that it's not exactly fair to compare the two but whatever, I love both movies and I can definitely see some similarities as both movies goes deep in the main character's psyche, a main character that isn't exactly mentally well.
I'm a bit torn on the ending like some people seem to be but I mostly love it and I can't really say I saw it coming or that it couldn't have been better but thank god it didn't go the way I thought it would, which was apparently the original plan, just have Al kill Cassie and end it there, which would've been realistic but... for a movie? Nah, you gotta give the audience some hope and have her have at least some kind of revenge on the guy who did an awful thing to her best friend, the ending is really bittersweet and might be one of the best movie endings that I'm going to remember for a while.
If you're a man and haven't seen this movie (even tho you're reading this long review with full spoilers-), you should watch it, please trust me, this movie doesn't hate you, it hates rape culture and patriarchy and it's honestly really good documentary in a way, women watch movies about the experience of men all the time so why when it's about a woman, it's "bad" because men "can't relate"? It's flawed reasoning to not like or watch a movie. Also, if words like "rape culture" or "patriarchy" triggers you, grow the hell up. -
riico21 June 2021I want to give it a low score for the second part of the movie but a high score for the overall quality. I was speechless and disturbed during the second part of the movie. This is a unique film, one that makes you feel bad.
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kosmasp26 August 2021I reckon it is or will be easy to dismiss what happens here for some. Unfortunately that does not make the things that are depict in here untrue. From a male perspective you may see different valid points throughout this ... you may feel that certain things do not apply to you. And maybe they don't - that doesn't mean that they don't exist. I know it feels like I'm repeating myself ... something the movie does avoid.
Which is quite the feat, considering what it is about and how she goes on a hunt (prowl?) at nights ... I was not sure what she was doing and the movie did leave it upon a bit ... but it does clear up during the runtime. Now she is broken and we slowly get why that is. It is revealed in the right way, even while we do sort of know or feel that we know most of it.
What is a nice touch, we never see anything in that regard. There is no sleaze, there is no (visible) exploitation going on. That does not mean it is easy to watch ... or listen to what is happening. I personally am not a fan of the term feminist, but this movie may change your mind regarding that or other things.
There are borderline things happening and our main character is not perfect. That does not mean she does not deserve something good ... and it does look like she can have. If she can bring herself to let go ... on the other hand, there is more than meets the eye. Way more ... and the ending ... I'm not going to spoil it for you, but let's say I did not expect that at all.
Very well told and truths that do hurt ... but are essential to be seen ... and learned from (hopefully) -
maanasms9 March 2022Within the first half of the film, promising young women fulfil the objective of creating a pleasant and engaging experience, but this influence fades as the film progresses. Because of which the ending feels quite dull even though it serves a good motive.
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arabnikita10 February 2021I have to admit that this movie had serious ambitions as it clearly selected an important societal topic to discuss. What's more, the director had some sort of an artistic vision as she tried to experiment with different themes, colors and even genres. Seeing all these nominations got me excited for what unfortunately turned out to be a parody that not only feels like an utter waste of time but also a film that tragically belittles the seriousness of the issue that it is trying to portray.
The movie is about a 30 year old med school dropout who dresses like a 90s teenager, lives with her parents and works in a coffee shop. We learn that she has a mental trauma from a past incident and as a result, she spends her nights unrealistically luring men by pretending to be intoxicated while somehow serving no consequences for her actions. This all sounds quite promising but regrettably, the movie tries to seem a lot bigger than it actually is and in the process, resembles nothing but dull mediocrity. I expected the age related miscasting to maybe turn into a psychological twist but alas, it was just another hole in the narrative.
Carrey Mulligan has recieved praise for her acting but the only reason she looked above average is because everyone else felt hollow. What saddens me is how such a disturbing and relevant topic was smeared to resemble a romcom with ridiculous aesthetics and flat attempts at humor. Nothing in the plot feels even remotely compelling as the film fails to establish any kind of tension or emotional weight. How can this be nominated for best picture, director and of all things script?
The movie tried to be like Nightingale, Unbelievable, Hard Candy or The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo but instead, it felt more like Mean Girls with pepper on top. Watch the films I mentioned if you want a proper tale of revenge and don't waste your time on this false promise.
Movies.shmovies on Instagram for Movies and TV shows. -
The imdb description reads "A young woman, traumatized by a tragic event in her past, seeks out vengeance against those who crossed her path." This is completely accurate, and yet is a superficial description. Yes, this is a movie about a woman attempting to create justice where none exists, but it's also about a deeply traumatized woman desperately doing things to give her a sense of control. This is why it's not a good criticism to say that what Cassie's doing doesn't make sense. It's true (like the IMDB description is true) but it's also the point. Cassie isn't Batman, and this isn't a cleverly thought-out system to make a better world. Cassie is broken but very smart and resourceful, and she is treating her inner wounds in an external way.
The cast is very good, particularly Carey Mulligan as Cassie. The movie does a good job of keeping information from you and then dripping it out in order to create mystery and suspense then slow understanding. It's filmed stylishly. It's deeply disturbing, with a *very* dark view of human beings, and it leaves you with a lot to think about.
It took me a while to watch this because I suspected it would be hard going and it is, but also, in its own dark way, quite entertaining. Definitely worth watching. -
gbill-7487726 August 2021"I'm a nice guy." "Are you?"
Carrie Mulligan is, as always, fantastic, and I love how 'Promising Young Woman' mixed in some elements of comedy and even romance into what was such a searing indictment of rape culture. For a film making such a strong statement, it's layered and intelligent, bringing out emotional aspects not usually present in revenge-type films. Instead of indulging in the bloodlust of a killing spree, it has her character trying to make others feel something - what it's like to be deceived, frightened, vulnerable, exploited, humiliated, or scarred for life.
The film goes after not just the bros who believe themselves to be nice guys and offer pathetic excuses for their behavior, but also the power structure protecting them, and it does so in a stylish way (that soundtrack!). The conversation with the dean of the medical school who looked the other way because she didn't want to """ruin a young man's life""" was particularly devastating, and yet isn't that what happens all the time? The film plays out in unexpected ways which is a part of its strength, and I was impressed that it threaded the needle between being depressing and uplifting. It felt emblematic of the era, and powerful. -
This was a pretty good movie but just didn't get there for me. I don't know if i'm more used to more extreme versions of this type of movie, but it seemed fairly tame. And for the most part, it was completely predictable from beginning to end. It was funny and charming but in the end i wasn't satisfied (1 viewing, 4/7/2021)
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i just couldn't buy into her dedicating her life to what amounts to making predators feel guilty so that hopefully they won't do it again. Maybe this is more realistic than a crazy revenge scheme that ruins ppls lives or even ends them. But realistic doesn't mean entertaining.