Margot Robbie’s career as a producer has been nothing short of remarkable. Her creative genius in films like “I, Tonya,” “Birds of Prey” and “Dreamland” may not have produced box office hits, but her cinematic prowess has not gone unrecognized, with the majority of her work being deemed “certified fresh” by Rotten Tomatoes’ critics.
However, Robbie’s latest production, which was released early to Amazon Prime on Jan. 15, is marked by one significant difference: Robbie’s presence, or rather, lack thereof, in the film. Indeed, “A Promising Young Woman” is the first film Robbie has received credit exclusively from a production standpoint.
Robbie’s presence is nonetheless felt in the film, from the captivating lighting and color schemes she has become associated with, and the revolutionary cinematography she pursues. The vibrant scenes she crafts in both the day and the night are unparalleled. This film is worth watching for its picturesque quality alone.
The film is not exclusively pretty pictures, though. The plot is well-crafted with rich visual motifs that prove to be a powerful component as the film moves to its conclusion.
This film is beautiful, heartbreaking, but above all else, real.
Seasoned actress Carey Mulligan takes the reins in this production, leaving critics and audience members alike in awe of the complexity of her character. The film itself follows the story of Mulligan’s character Cassandra, a medical school drop-out mourning the loss of her best friend Nina. In order to receive reparations for Nina’s sexual assault and her tragic suicide that followed, Cassandra goes to bars regularly, pretending to be drunk while waiting for a “nice guy” to come and “help” her.
The film opens with one such nice guy, who takes a presumably intoxicated Cassandra to his apartment instead of the address she gave him. Upon arriving at his home, the man pours a large glass of liquor for Cassandra before taking her into his bedroom. There, he attempts to take advantage of Cassandra, who, unbeknownst to him, is completely sober. She stops him before anything can happen, and the scene cuts to the next morning where Cassandra is walking home, eating a hot dog covered in ketchup and trace amounts of what appears to be blood.
The rest of the film follows similar endeavors, with Cassandra going home with characters such as Neil played by Christopher Mintz-Plasse, famous for his role as McLovin’ in “SuperBad,” and Paul, played by Sam Richardson.
The intensity of Cassandra’s nightlife is contrasted starkly by her blasé daytime routine. Cassandra is 30 years old and still living with her parents, working at a coffee shop owned by her only friend Gail (Laverne Cox). Her existence, it seems, is dedicated to avenging the death of her best friend Nina, that is until her former-classmate Ryan Cooper (Bo Burnham) redirects her attention with his attempts to romance her.
Although hesitant at first, Cassandra warms up to Ryan and begins to craft a new life for herself not centered around Nina. This reality is short-lived, though, as Cassandra sees a video of Nina’s assault first hand and realizes Ryan’s complicity in the assault. This realization sends Cassandra full-force into her old habits. This time, however, she has a specific target: the man responsible for Nina’s assault, Al Monroe.
“A Promising Young Woman” is so clearly produced by a group of women with a profound understanding of sexual assault and its far-reaching effects. By casting men who are stereotypically seen as friendly and funny supporting characters—such as Max Greenfield who plays Schmidt in “New Girl” and Chris Lowell who plays Sebastian in “GLOW”—as predators, the producers help dispell the myth that all perpetrators of sexual assault are societal deviants who act randomly. More often than not, they’re the people we see as stand-up members of our community or beloved family members.
While this film was far different from the movie I expected to see after watching the trailer, I was astounded by the production quality and thoughtful storytelling. Margot Robbie’s role as a producer is still somewhat green, though, and I look forward to seeing her give life to the other stories that need to be told.
