THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
During the season of winter in 2020, everyone was relieved that a new year was emerging after going through the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. While some would stream Soul or Wonder Woman 1984 at home, there were few that safely went to select theaters to see the year's boldest film ever made.
PLOT
Promising Young Woman centers on a 30 year old woman named Cassandra Thomas. She and her best friend Nina attended medical school until the latter was raped by classmate Al Monroe. Sadly, there was no investigation by either the legal or school system. This devastated Nina in such an emotional standpoint that she would take her own life in the process. As for Cassie, she would spend every night feign drunkenness in clubs and allow men to take her to their home, until revealing her sobriety to those who take advantage of her. She lives with her parents Stanley (Clancy Brown) and Susan (Jennifer Coolidge), while working at a coffee shop ran by her boss Gail (Laverne Cox). One day at work, she meets another former classmate named Ryan Cooper. When they go out on a date, he shares that Al is getting married. This inspires her plan to avenge Nina. Her first target goes to her former friend Madison McPhee, who did not believe what happened to Nina. She gets her drunk and has a hired man take her to a motel room. Days later, Madison calls Cassie and leaves voicemails consistently, afraid that she doesn't recall what happened. She than goes after Elizabeth Walker, the medical school dean who dismissed Nina's case for lack of evidence. She makes her believe that her daughter is held captive and taken advantage of by a group of boys. The truth is she is at the coffee shop, believing she's going to meet her favorite boy band. Cassie only does this to get the dean to admit she was wrong to dismiss Nina. The next target is Jordan Greene, Al's lawyer who harassed Nina into dropping the charges. She had planned to kill him but changes her mind when noticing that he truly regrets his actions. One night, she attempts to pull her trick of 'drunk bait' again, only to run into Ryan, who is disappointed for standing him up beforehand. When visiting Nina's mom (Molly Shannon), she finds encouragement to move on. She does so by apologizing to Ryan for ignoring him, resulting in a second chance in their relationship. She does see Madison again and tells her nothing happened between her and the man at the hotel. Madison does apologize for not believing in Nina because she found her old phone which had a video of Nina's assault, that was sent to her at the time. She never said anything than because she approached it as gossip. She gives Cassie the phone with the request to never call her again. As Cassie sees the video, she is disgusted not just for what happened to her friend, but the fact that Ryan was there and watched it all happen. She confronts him at work of her discovery and threatens to send it to all of his contacts if he doesn't tell her where Al's bachelor party will take place. He tells her out of fear and is again threatened that it would be sent if he warns anyone. She arrives at a cabin where the party is at and poses as a stripper to get to Al. In a separate room, she handcuffs him on a bed and reveals her identity to him. She attempts to carve 'Nina' on his stomach but he breaks free from one cuff and smothers her. The following morning, his friend Joe helps him get rid of her body by burning it. Days later, Cassie's parents file a missing person report on her. When Ryan is questioned by a detective, he covers his own track by calling her unstable. On the day of Al's wedding, things take a turn for the better. Green gets mailed the phone containing the video of Nina's assault, along with a letter from Cassie that instructs him to send it to the police. The police find the remains when surveying the area, including her friendship heart necklace with Nina's name on it. At the coffee shop, Gail finds the other half with Cassie's name on it. The police arrive at the ceremony and Joe runs away when Al gets arrested. The film ends with Ryan getting scheduled messages from Cassie: "You didn't think this was the end, did you? It is now. Enjoy the wedding! Love, Cassie and Nina".
THOUGHTS
I knew there was something cooking when I first heard about it, leading my decision to ensure that I would check it out. After making the time, I took a deep breath and shouted 'OH MY GOD!' This movie is crazy and I love it. This is one of those movies where you think you know which direction they're going, but it goes somewhere else instead and still works. This movie struck me heavily because of the message that was laid out by writer/director Emerald Fennell: The male gender can be the scum of the Earth because they are capable of doing so much bad things and not pay for it. In this case, one can hurt a woman and walk away after making an excuse. I am a man and I can admit that this is true. The second part to it is that there are women that won't stand by and allow it. I would have not understood this message without the phenomenal Oscar nominated performance from Carey Mulligan. As Cassie, she is a force to be reckoned with because she is justifiably angry with what happened to her friend and with her loss, she uses her wit and intelligence to expose the predators at night. This thriller becomes a comedy in the process because of how charming she is when revealing her intentions. In her experience, she feels that men cannot ever be good and will prove it every night. When she acts on her plan, it is extremely manipulative of her to do what she does, but you can't help but root for her because those who wronged Nina deserved it. She may have not lived to see the success of her plan, but at least she gets to reunite with her friend on the other side. Mulligan does carry this film but having said that, there are other actors that leave their own impact. Bo Burnham really caught me off guard as Ryan. At first, he was this nice guy that resembles that men are still good. But than when we find out he was in the video, it proves the point that he's not as different as Al. Since he was in the video, I hope he gets his own comeuppance. As for Alfred Molina's Jordan Green, we see that somehow, men can redeem themselves once feeling regret. When he breaks down to Cassie, that was where I realized just that through the unstable presence he made in the room. At the end, I think he became whole when doing what she requested. Going into Alison Brie and Connie Britton, their respected roles as Madison and Walker, they show that some people wouldn't take notice to what happens to others until it happens to them. Seeing how frightened they become when things aren't in their favor prove just that. Last but not least, you will hate Chris Lowell and Max Greenfield forever in their roles as Al and Joe. They are straight up the worst because they are plain selfish and so blind that they believe they're not in the wrong. These are the kind of men that have the privilege at their disposal and when it's taken from them, I felt nothing but relief. Seeing Joe run just as Al just comes to show that he was never a good friend to begin with. Despite given praise, I still feel that there were moments in the story that bothered me. First off, based on the tally in her diary, how has Cassie's plan not backfire until running into Ryan? You're telling me not one of the many men has shared this to friends? I mean that's crazy to believe no one ever recognizes her until later into the film. Also, why would she share her plan to Neil? Yeah the guy is on drugs as she tells him, but he could tell somebody. And I was just as annoyed as she was whenever someone said 'We were just kids'. You're not kids when you're attending an adult school. Lastly, I know Cassie had a backup plan when she died but if she really wanted to have her way with Al, she should've brought extra cuffs to keep his legs down. Having said that, I think these flaws can be easy to ignore once watching. In conclusion, Promising Young Woman will be another film that will be looked at as the best of the decade for being smart in displaying its message. If you're looking for a film that displays girl power at its finest, see this one now.
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
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