Promising Young Woman (2020) Movie Review

Promising Young Woman was perhaps the buzziest movie this year. Before it was even released critics were either raving about it or ripping it to shreds. I have a mild obsession with Carey Mulligan (I’m still salty she was snubbed for her performance in Wildlife) so I was eager to see it. It’s hard to write coherently about this movie without giving anything away, but I’ll do my best.

Cassie (Carey Mulligan) works at a coffee shop, lives with her parents, and has a habit of pretending to be drunk at bars. It’s an odd pastime but it’s how we’re introduced to her in the beginning of the movie. She is sprawled out on a couch at a bar that is laced with a hazy neon glow. A seemingly “good guy,” Jerry (Adam Brody), offers to see her home safely. However, on the way he changes his mind and takes Cassie back to his place for a night cap. It is here where we see Cassie’s scheme in action. When a man attempts to have sex with her, Cassie drops the act and calls him out on his reckless and disgusting behavior. She does this several times throughout the movie and each time it’s eerie. Oh and incredibly, incredibly bad-ass.

We learn the motivation for this behavior occurred years ago when Cassie’s best friend Nina had something traumatic happen while they were both students in med school. This event changed the course of both Nina and Cassie’s life. We pick up on context clues that it was a sexual assault, although the movie never actually uses the term rape. It’s at this point in the movie when things take a slight turn. At night, Cassie pretends to be drunk to call out men for their reprehensible behavior of taking advantage of drunk women, but during the day she works at a coffee shop. During one of her shifts she meets Ryan (Bo Burnham), a doctor who was in med school with her. Ryan asks her out and they start dating.

At this point, the tone of the movie shifts from being serious to more light-hearted romantic comedy vibes. But prepare yourself because the mood shifts again in the third act. Some critics are calling this whiplash and saying that the movie isn’t cohesive. But I didn’t mind the tonal shifts. In fact, I think they echo real life perfectly and also provide a good representation for the roller coaster of recovering from a traumatic event. There are a few plot points in the movie that I disliked, none of which I can say here without ruining the movie entirely. And I don’t want to deprive anyone of the chance of seeing this one with no spoilers.

However, the one thing I can tell you is that Mulligan absolutely nails this performance. Personally I think it’s one of her best and it will be an absolute travesty if she isn’t nominated for an Oscar. She infuses Cassie with enough force to make her slightly scary and unpredictable while still effectively portraying her softer side. The juxtaposition of being shocked by her actions while simultaneously cheering them on was odd but incredibly welcome.

Mulligan was helped tremendously by the impressive writer and director Emerald Fennell. Promising Young Woman is Fennell’s directorial feature film debut. And what a debut it is. I can honestly say I don’t know if I’ve ever been so impressed by someone’s debut efforts. Fennell creates an entire vibe with this movie. She uses bright colors in almost every scene. Most of Cassie’s wardrobe is bright and fun. Even her nails, with each finger donning a different bright color, are a statement. The energy jumps off the screen. The most memorable scene is when Cassie and Ryan are in a store and begin singing “Stars Are Blind” by Paris Hilton. If you haven’t ever heard this song, where were you in 2006? I don’t care what anyone says this song is a smash and I still listen to it as an adult.

It’s this type of fun energy Fennell is able to capture and bring to life. But she proves her versatility with the flip-flopping tones. She can make a fun rom com just as easily as she can make a dark and more sinister drama. I say give Fennell all the awards. Promising Young Woman is a vehicle for Mulligan to showcase her insane talents and a chance to marvel at Fennell’s first stab at directing. I haven’t even gotten into the complexities of the plot and the themes that Fennell tackles (sexual assault, the patriarchy, sexism, consent etc.), but I can’t touch on them without giving everything away. Promising Young Woman is one of my favorite movies this year. You need to see it. 

Film or Movie: Movie
You’ll like this movie if:
1. You want to see a woman take on the patriarchy
2. You’d like to have a Paris Hilton song stuck in your head for days on end
3. You want a movie that will keep you guessing