Promising Young Woman Movie Review

Promising Young Woman (2020)

Rent Promising Young Woman on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Emerald Fennell
Directed by: Emerald Fennell
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham, Alison Brie, Clancy Brown, Adam Brody, Jennifer Coolidge, Laverne Cox, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Max Greenfield, Connie Britton
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A young woman, traumatized by a tragic event in her past, seeks out vengeance against those who crossed her path.

Verdict
It's a powerful movie, a synthesis of the excuses and double standards presented in society used to defend criminals that frequently go unpunished. This isn't a fun watch, it's uncomfortable as it's meant to be. Mulligan provides a phenomenal performance. You can't call her a vigilante as most of what she does is self defense. It may not be a movie you want to watch, but it is a movie you should watch. Few movies are such a succinct yet powerful commentary on culture.
Watch It.

Review
It's clear what this is about from the opening scene. This is about consent, or lack thereof. Cassie (Carey Mulligan) drunk at the bar, near unconscious, and a guy takes advantage and takes her back to his place. It's uncomfortable as she can barely stand up. He keeps telling her she's "pretty" while he undresses her. Then she 'wakes up,' telling him off.

Cassie is searching for justice, shaming men that try to take advantage of her when they think she's drunk. When men in this movie are confronted by Cassie for their actions they lash out, cursing at her because she made them uncomfortable. That's exactly what they were doing to her.

Carey Mulligan plays Cassie.

I don't like this as it's uncomfortable. All men can tell her is "you're so pretty" because they don't know anything about her because they picked her up because she was incoherent. When she flips and they realize she's not blackout drunk the guy freaks out. He claims he's a 'nice guy.'

The movie doesn't just point out bad behavior men at bars. Cassie confronts the dean of the school she used to attend. It's a female dean and even she relies on the same excuses. The dean talks about giving men the benefit of the doubt and how they're innocent until proven guilty, but all of that is out the window when the dean thinks her own daughter might be in danger. That's the double standard. It's so easy to placate and ignore when it isn't someone you know. Those in charge don't want to ruin a students life with punishment when the punishment is because the student ruined someone else's life. You can't deny the power of the social commentary. It's channeling the excuses people make, that men make. This movie exposes the problem with the system. It's misogynistic.

Carey Mulligan does such an amazing job. It's not just the way she can switch been sober and seemingly drunk. There's a power dynamic. She is the one in control in most of the situations we see.  She confronts men with no remorse. When the power dynamic changes and she confronts someone that is remorseful, she doesn't know how to react to that. She's shocked.

You wonder where this movie goes. Cassie puts herself in danger whenever she endeavors to shame men. You want her to get justice or to even be happy, but there's a lot of doubt as this unfolds. The ending is powerful. It's sad. Sad that these events happen more often than certainly I know, and It's sad because the system is broken.