PART 1- A SPOILER FREE REVIEW

Promising Young Woman (2020), the directorial debut of Emerald Fennell, is a
brilliant commentary on social justice and rape culture, while seamlessly
blending multiple genres. What starts as a vigilante thriller morphs into a dark
comedy, with a rom-com-esque montage to a Britney Spears song, and ends
as a rape revenge film. The rape revenge fantasy sub-genre, although
controversial in some of its interpretations, has become an integral part of the
feminist cinema canon. Featuring blood-soaked women committing cathartic
violence to avenge themselves, these films have a unique appeal. Think of the
Kill Bill movies or Revenge (2017).
What makes the genre controversial, however, is the uncomfortable
fetishization of abuse and assault that the female protagonist must endure
before she snaps and takes her bloody revenge, guns ablaze. Promising Young
Woman thrives because it is a revenge film without the violence. The movie,
starring Carey Mulligan and Bo Burnham in lead roles, is about Cassie, a
troubled young woman reeling from the assault and consequent death of her
best friend, Nina. Nina is assaulted at a party in medical school, leading both
Cassie and Nina to drop out, with Nina tragically taking her own life. The film
follows Cassie as she navigates her grief and anger while carefully planning to
avenge her friend.
Promising Young Woman is subversive because, while the assault on Nina
drives the movie, it is never shown on camera. In fact, the word "rape" isn't
even used in the movie, proving that a rape revenge fantasy can pack its
punches without resorting to abject violence for shock value. Throughout the
film, Cassie meets with characters from her past: classmates from medical
school, the Dean of the school, and the lawyer who defended the perpetrator.
The film exposes society's double standards and drives home the point that an
ecosystem of denial and excuses exists to protect men from facing the
consequences of their own actions. Characters question Nina's character,
blame her for being drunk, turn it into a "he said - she said" situation, and
ultimately the perpetrator is left scot-free, lest his promising career is ruined.
Even the title, "Promising Young Woman," references a comment made by a
judge during a high-profile criminal case involving an assault at a Stanford
University fraternity party. The judge remarked that the perpetrator, Brock
Turner, was a "promising young man," and thus, he was only sentenced to six
months in jail, of which he served only three. But what about the women who
attend the same universities and have equally bright careers ahead of them?
What's interesting is, while the subject matter of the film might be dark, the
movie visually certainly isn't. With a bright youthful palette and a bubblegum
pop aesthetic, the movie is visually a stark contrast to its dark themes, making
it even more impactful. Carey Mulligan delivers a brilliant performance, dressed
in pastel sundresses and bow-tied hair. Even the soundtrack is quintessential
bubbly pop music.
Promising Young Woman is a unique and important movie that exposes the
"nice guys" in society for their false sincerity and complacency in perpetuating
rape culture. If you haven't already watched the movie, you must.
PART 2- Stop reading here if you want to avoid spoilers.

While "Promising Young Woman" does a lot of things right, the one thing it does
perfectly is subversive casting. Carey Mulligan plays Cassie, perhaps named
after the Greek priestess Cassandra, who has the power of prophecy but is
cursed so that no one believes her. The supporting cast is stacked with notable
names such as Bo Burnham, Alison Brie, Connie Britton, Max Greenfield, and
Alfred Molina, among others. The casting is important because most of the cast
is familiar to us as the lovable, goofy characters next door from various
sitcoms. When you look at Alison Brie, you think of Annie from "Community,"
Max Greenfield reminds you of the adorkable Schmidt from "New Girl." They lull
you in with the comfort of familiarity, only to reveal that these characters are in
fact despicable and have actively worked towards bringing Nina, and even
Cassie, down.
The most brutal betrayal is perhaps that of Ryan, played by Bo
Burnham, who is introduced as a clichéd rom-com protagonist for Cassie. Her
knight in shining armor, as he draws her out of her shell. We are charmed as
well; we think he's one of the good ones, only for it to be revealed that he's just
as complacent as the others. An outlier in this is Alfred Molina, who we know as
the chilling villain of the Spiderman franchise. When we see him as the
perpetrators' defense lawyer, a sense of unease creeps into us. He is, in fact,
the only character from Cassie and Nina's past who redeems himself. He is
ashamed and troubled by his actions. Ultimately, by the end of the movie, he
atones for his past.
The end of the film is perhaps the most controversial subversion of the rape
revenge genre. Usually, the spurned woman kills those who have wronged her
and obtains a sense of catharsis, both for her and the audience. However,
Cassie dies. She is smothered to death by the same Al Monroe who assaulted
Nina years ago. As the painful scene plays out, we lose hope; Cassie doesn't
win. She dies. The movie, however, doesn't end on that note. Al is arrested, not
for Nina's assault, but for Cassie's murder. Cassie knew she was going to die;
she planned for her death. She knew she had to die for Al to be found guilty. It
is unsettling, but seeing Al arrested just when he thinks he's gotten away with it
is satisfying and cathartic in its own way.
Promising Young Woman is essential viewing for its incredible screenplay,
amazing casting and performances, and ultimately its near-perfect subversion
of the classic revenge film.

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