Bombshell (2019)

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palefire
Much less compelling than The Loudest Voice miniseries on the same topic. 4 years 2 months ago
Siskoid
I saw Bombshell, and let's get this out of the way before going any further - while I agree things are not black and white, no movie is going to wipe away the damage the people represented have done by working at a vile propaganda machine, no matter how sympathetic the actresses playing them are. But that also doesn't mean I'm going to say they deserved the sexual harassment they got while working at Fox. That's a separate issue, and while the movie takes its shots at Fox News (by just saying how it is, no extra satire required), it works as a workplace drama about fighting back against systemic sexism - without making the point (or needing to) that sexism is one of conservatism's core values. Austin Powers director Jay Roach plays it for laughs with a style that's more I, Tonya than The Big Short, which makes the uncomfortable moments all the more uncomfortable. Good juggling of tones. But of course, this is most interesting for the acting. Charlize Theron changes her voice and diction to the point where she's a different person; Nicole Kidman seems like she's doing more of an impression at times, though I'm not sure Gretchen actually has that lisp; and Margot Robbie is good as usual as a fictional/composite up-and-comer. I was surprised at how engaged I was given how much had to be glossed over, but there you have it. 4 years 3 months ago