“Promising Young Woman” is a tonal roller coaster, but that’s part of the point. Check out our editors' picks for the movies and shows we're excited about this month, like Mortal Kombat, "Them," and Stowaway. However, everybody knows that breaking bad habits is easier said than done. Ryan receives several scheduled texts from Cassie, signed with her and Nina's names, while Green receives a package from Cassie with a video of Nina's rape and instructions to follow if she does not return. And, every week, lethally beautiful Cassie is on the prowl for all sorts of nocturnal predators and other wolves in sheep's clothing, who are unaware that, sometimes, the hunter can become the prey. It received positive reviews, with praise for its screenplay, direction, and Mulligan's performance. 'Promising Young Woman' ending explained: Emerald Fennell breaks down the shocking end to Carey Mulligan film. Four friends, all high school teachers, test a theory that they will improve their lives by maintaining a constant level of alcohol in their blood. Rated R for strong violence including sexual assault, language throughout, some sexual material and drug use, ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Keeps Roaring At No. She wore the matching half with Nina's name on it when she was killed. Then, Ryan, a kindly and caring old classmate who is the bee's knees, enters the picture, and just like that, Cassie wants out. It was named one of the ten best films of 2020 by the National Board of Review, with Mulligan also winning Best Actress, and received four nominations at the 78th Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Drama. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. Promising Young Woman was originally slated to premiere earlier, but—like so many other movies in 2020—its release date was pushed back amid the pandemic. As he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and even the fabric of his reality. [10], According to Carrie Wittmer of The Ringer the film production crew deliberately chose male actors who previously played characters known as good or wholesome to reinforce the idea that predators can be anyone. Walker, terrified, apologizes for her inaction, and Cassie reveals Amber is safe at a diner. Directed by Emerald Fennell. Promising Young Woman (2020) Parents Guide Add to guide . BAFTA Film Awards Analysis: Will Brits’ Predictable Winners List Mean Oscar Voters Follow Suit? However, everybody knows that breaking bad habits is easier said than done. Was this review helpful to you? Pushing thirty, and defined by a hideous crime involving her bosom friend, Nina, emotionally scarred medical school dropout, Cassie, knows firsthand that some wounds never heal. Then, Ryan, a kindly and caring old classmate who is the bee's knees, enters the picture, and just like that, Cassie wants out. "[30] Linda Holmes of NPR wrote that while Cassie is the film's focus, "Fennell is saying something here, too, about men. "[31], In Variety, Dennis Harvey praised Mulligan's performance as "skillful, entertaining and challenging,” but questioned her casting, writing that she wore her "pickup-bait gear like bad drag; even her long blonde hair seems a put-on." Cassie reassures her that nothing happened. Cassie wants justice. And, every week, lethally beautiful Cassie is on the prowl for all sorts of nocturnal predators and other wolves in sheep's clothing, who are unaware that, sometimes, the hunter can become the prey. [24][25] The film continued to hold well in the subsequent weekends, including seeing a 16% bump following its four Golden Globe nominations, with a running total of $5.1 million by February 21. The feature debut from writer-director Emerald Fennell, “Promising Young Woman” seems designed to spur on uncomfortable post-movie conversations and think pieces as … A boldly provocative, timely thriller, Promising Young Woman is an auspicious feature debut for writer-director Emerald Fennell -- and a career highlight for Carey Mulligan. Bo Burnham, Alison Brie, Clancy Brown, Jennifer Coolidge, Laverne Cox, and Connie Britton co-star. Promising Young Woman "[28] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported 73% of those surveyed gave the film a positive score, with 43% saying they would definitely recommend it. As Party Chairman Fred Hampton ascends, falling for a fellow revolutionary en route, a battle wages for O'Neal's soul. [2][3], In North America, the film was released alongside Wonder Woman 1984, News of the World, and Pinocchio, and was projected to gross around $2 million in its opening weekend. Promising Young Woman teases its protagonist as a vengeful murderess on her way home from the first of these encounters, camera gliding past a … Emerald Fennell's Promising Young Woman takes a deep dive into toxic masculinity and the ripple effects of sexual assault years. [21], As of April 5, 2021[update], Promising Young Woman has grossed $6.1 million in the United States and Canada, and $5.4 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $11.5 million. Cassie documented those dangerous encounters with a red mark in her notebook. [4] In January 2019, it was announced Carey Mulligan had been set to star in the film, with Fennell directing. As she starts carving 'Nina' onto Al's abdomen, he breaks free and smothers her to death with a pillow. For this film, you’re going to write something that is so transparent? Edit. In “Promising Young Woman,” Carey Mulligan plays Cassie, whose childhood best friend, Nina, was raped during a raucous party in medical school. #PromisingYoungWoman is in theaters this Christmas. Bo Burnham, Alison Brie, Clancy Brown, Jennifer Coolidge, Laverne Cox, and Connie Britton co-star. Ryan tells them Cassie was mentally unwell, and does not tell them where she was going. Madison gives her an old phone containing a video of Nina's rape before warning her to never contact her again. "[27] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 72 out of 100, based on 41 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews. [11], Fennell created "mood boards" to illustrate to the crew how Cassie has wildly different facets of her personality. Promising Young Woman is an unabashed skewering of rape culture. Promising Young Woman is the critically acclaimed feature named one of the 10 best movies of 2020 by the National Board of the review that … Promising Young Woman does have plenty to recommend it, especially Carey Mulligan’s strong performance and the camera’s disdainful female gaze in the opening scene. Cassie Thomas, a 30 year-old medical school dropout, lives with her parents. Cassie targets Elizabeth Walker, the medical school dean who dismissed Nina's case for 'lack of evidence.' View production, box office, & company info. On page 20, Cassandra (played exquisitel… Carey Mulligan stars in Promising Young Woman. Years earlier, her classmate Al Monroe raped her best friend Nina Fisher; there was no investigation by the school or legal system. Emerald Fennell devised the concept of the film in 2017, and he sold the script to Margot Robbie's production company LuckyChap Entertainment after pitching the opening scene. And one of its most immediate, incisive choices is to look beyond the “culture” writ large toward a … [34] A. The police discover her burnt remains as well as the necklace and arrest Al for the murder at his wedding. When Green is distraught for his actions, having had a nervous breakdown over his guilt, Cassie forgives him. After visiting Nina's mother, who urges her to move on, Cassie abandons her revenge plans. And yes negative reviews are trying to sound clever but everyone knows they saw themselves in there. A heavy-metal drummer's life is thrown into freefall when he begins to lose his hearing. Another On their date, he mentions that Al is getting married. But at the heart of every revenge fantasy lies one important gem: the desire for justice. Most of Promising Young Woman seems like a clever riff on exploitation films, where someone who’s been wronged has their revenge. [23] The film dropped 4.4% in its second weekend to $687,900, then made $586,285 in its third weekend, finishing sixth both times. After losing everything in the Great Recession, a woman embarks on a journey through the American West, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad. Title: Promising Young Woman is, at its core, a revenge thriller, and that genre inherently has its problems. The movie focuses on Cassie (Carey Mulligan) as she spends her nights pretending to be drunk at bars and on private dates, all to lure guys in order to teach them a lesson when they try to rape her. Photograph: Courtesy of Focus Features/PR Company Handout. A man refuses all assistance from his daughter as he ages. Mulligan criticized the comment, saying, “I was like, ‘Really? That night, Cassie lures a man into taking her home. Pushing thirty, and defined by a hideous crime involving her bosom friend, Nina, emotionally scarred medical school dropout, Cassie, knows firsthand that some wounds never heal. The story of 7 people on trial stemming from various charges surrounding the uprising at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. Written and directed by Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman stars Carey Mulligan as a med-school drop-out named Cassie Thomas, who has a … Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Leading an uneventful existence, still living with her parents, waiting tables at a cheap coffee shop to earn a living, Cassie has found the perfect way to deal with the painful past. Benjamin Lee in Park City. "[35] In regards to why Ryan chooses to cover for his friends when the police interview him, Fennell states "He so wants to be good. The man realizes that Cassie is sober and recognizes her from when his friend picked her up. A Korean family starts a farm in 1980s Arkansas. Carey Mulligan stars as a woman who seeks to avenge the death of her best friend, who was a victim of rape. W atching the rape-revenge fantasy Promising Young Woman is a grueling experience, but not for the reason intended. 1930's Hollywood is reevaluated through the eyes of scathing social critic and alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz as he races to finish the screenplay of Citizen Kane (1941). A young woman, traumatized by a tragic event in her past, seeks out vengeance against those who crossed her path. She confronts him and threatens to release the video unless he tells her where Al's bachelor party is being held. (2020). Everyone said Cassie was a promising young woman… until a mysterious event abruptly derailed her future. The ones who try to take advantage of her inability to … During a recording session, tensions rise between Ma Rainey, her ambitious horn player and the white management determined to control the uncontrollable "Mother of the Blues". A distraught Madison leaves several voicemails for her, as she has no memory of what happened. 1 With $13.4 Million In Second Weekend; Passes $350 Million Mark At Global Box Office. But nothing in Cassie’s life is what it appears to be: she’s wickedly smart, tantalizingly cunning, and she’s living a secret double life by night. The next morning, Al's friend Joe consoles him and helps him burn Cassie's body. She apologizes to Ryan and they fall in love. Promising Young Woman had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2020, and was theatrically released in the United States on December 25, 2020, by Focus Features. New and Upcoming VOD, DVD, and Blu-ray Releases, BAFTA 2021 — Outstanding British Film of the Year, Oscars 2021 — Films With Multiple Nominations, Chris Stuckmann Movie Reviews: Promising Young Woman. Use the HTML below. Leading an uneventful existence, still living with her parents, waiting tables at a cheap coffee shop to earn a living, Cassie has found the perfect way to deal with the painful past. [15] It was initially scheduled to be released theatrically on April 17, 2020,[16] but was pulled from the schedule due to the initial closures of movie theaters that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. As they are walking out of the bar, they run into Ryan; hurt, Ryan leaves. Her coworker, Gail, discovers half of a heart necklace with Cassie's name under the cash register. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. "[29] Writing for the Los Angeles Times, Justin Chang said "The grimly multitasking finale of Promising Young Woman feels both audacious and uncertain of itself, as Fennell tries to meld a cackle of delight and a blast of fury, with a lingering residue of anguish. 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