‘Promising Young Woman’ burst into the headlines a few weeks ago over the controversy surrounding the language of a ‘Variety’ reviewer who last year, following the film’s preview at Cannes, wrote a piece which has fallen under scrutiny for its misogynistic, ageist undertones. Dennis Harvey’s claims that whilst Carey Mulligan as the lead is a ‘fine actress’ he could more easily see producer Margot Robbie in the lead, and that Mulligan wears her ‘pickup-bait gear like bad drag’. His later claim in The Guardian that he was shocked to be labelled a misogynist – “I’m a 60-year-old gay man. I don’t actually go around dwelling on the comparative hotnesses of young actresses, let alone writing about that.” Harvey can claim innocence over his remarks, but they contribute to a wider commentary on the ways in which we perceive female narratives that no amount of pleading innocence or lack of interest can wash away.
Emerald Fennell’s directorial debut centres around the life of Mulligan’s Cassie who, in the wake of a traumatic event in her past, is apathetic concerning her future, despite the promise of her early medical career. This film sensitively and delicately portrays the ways in which an act of violence can uproot our existence, and Cassie’s isolation from those around her is indicative of her inability to truly move on from this seismic event in her life. She cannot let it go, partly because there has been no repercussions on the part of those who committed the crimes, and without going into too much spoiler ridden details, she takes it upon herself not only to remind those who did the harm of their actions, but wider than that, to try and make the predatory men she encounters understand the weight of their actions. This is a film centred around female revenge. But what does that even look like?
Katie Mitchell when discussing the importance of female led narratives stated: “I think some part of one’s self is eroded if you’re always watching work made by men about male experiences” highlighting the frequency in which female narratives are often written by men. Films like Tarantino’s ‘Kill Bill’ present a wronged woman intent on pursuing a violent course of action in order to bring justice to those who have wronged her. When discussing her reasoning behind the film, Fennell describes how she felt that many so called female vengeance plots felt unnatural and distinctly male – “Women just wouldn’t act like that” she argues, foregrounding how often female narratives are told still from a distinctly male point of view, even if they seem to be at first foregrounding a feminine perspective. And that is what ‘Promising Young Woman’ does so well, it presents a uniquely relatable narrative in terms which seem, for the most part, realistic. Cassie is not some male fantasy sex-kitten clad in lycra and wielding a sword, she is a broken woman brimming with frustration over a system which silences and smothers the voices of those who are abused by it. Her solitary quest to make a difference one sleazy male at a time is not centred around violence, or brutality, but an effort to make these men understand the weight of their actions, in a manner which foregrounds her own agency.
The film deliberately embraces a femininity which is refreshing, there is a celebration of bright colours, it leaves you with a sense of bubblegum pink that none of the darkest moments in the film can shift; the exuberant soundtrack featuring the likes of Charlie XCX, Paris Hilton and a spine-chilling instrumental of ‘Toxic’ foregrounds the feminine, celebrating girlishness in a way which is never belittling. Incidentally, I had no idea that Paris Hilton could be so catchy – be warned, her song ‘Stars Are Blind’ will be in your head for days after watching, it’s something that truly stays with you.
The performances in this film are so strong, Mulligan is phenomenal, truly doing justice to every side of this multi-faceted character, and she deserves every credit – without her strength of performance the film may have struggled to maintain believability in every aspect, but she is so watchable that the film comes together within her. In addition, Bo Burnham’s charismatic Ryan is so much fun to watch, and their chemistry is the emotional heart of the film, as we see Cassie struggle to allow herself to be vulnerable in the midst of her pain. This is a film which manages to elude categorisation, containing elements of so many genres that it leaves you with an overwhelming sense of having experienced Cassie’s struggles, in all their complexities, with the highs and lows of her quest for closure, proving that trauma narratives are not one thing, but contain multitudes.
The recent controversy surrounding the Golden Globes nominations, in particular the snubbing of Michaela Coel’s groundbreaking ‘I May Destroy You’ proves that we are a long way from equality, and that as a society we are still struggling to accept a variety of narratives that differ from the status quo. However films like ‘Promising Young Woman’ are proving that there is a ferocity to upcoming filmmakers who refuse to be boxed in by pre-existing labels and tropes which seek to reduce their creative capacity to a footnote in the demographic of cinema at large. How Hollywood responds to such unique and important narratives will dictate their ability to modernise; we need more films like this.
Art by Rachel Jung
