Promising Young Woman [DVD] [2021]

The premise of the film is clear enough: a disaffected young woman, Cassie seeks revenge or restitution for a College gang rape which led to her friend's suicide.In carrying this out, she randomly selects men and attracts who may act similarly given the right circumstances. At the crucial point, she snaps out of her drunken stupor and asks them specific questions about just what they think they are doing.Apparently, this is enough to frighten these predators out of their aim, which is to secure non consensual sex with someone who is too vulnerable to do anything about it.Is this a Baz Luhrmann colour pop fable? It's very candy-drug-store.Is it a critique of rape culture, of girl pop culture, or is it a critique of men in general? Is it a dark fairytale?Is it a thriller? I ask these questions because it is all these things. It is a reverse of Hitchcock's dodgy Marnie, where rape actually calms a woman and makes her more manageable. It is reminiscent of the work of Angela Carter, it has Neil Jordan's fable quality. But I felt something was missing. The repartee between Cassie cand her highly flawed and rubbish boyfriend was very stylised and passive aggressive. I did not feel it helped the narrativeAlsoThe male characters were one dimensional stereotypes. And I really needed to know sooner about Cassie's friend and her amazing personality and promise . It would have built sympathy for Cassie, who sometimes appears just to be unhinged. I'd also have liked to see Cassie a bit more unhinged, and a bit less vigilante.I really loved some of the imagery and the poppiness of it, and the fact the sugary colour WAS askance with the subject matter. My favourite was Cassie, who could have been a top medic, dressed as a nurse stripper squelching down a dark and muddy path to a string version of Toxic carrying fuck-me-shoes and a cute faux medical bag full of scalpels.I did think this showed how women can be so oppressed, they are reduced to mere mannequins, with the mind functioning elsewhere, an unrecognised and unappreciated organ.The film showed the place women have in tacitly covering up patriarchal offence. Anything to avoid trouble. From the Dean of the medical school, to girl friends, to mothers, they all seemed to aid and diminish a grave and foul offence against a promising young woman.Not only was she dead and buried, they buried the manner of her downfall.Only Cassie refuses to be buried, and rather like Carrie, another sub feminist character, she pops up time and again like the avenging angel that she is often pictured as.Anyway, it's a highly intelligent film, which illuminates rather than obfuscates, and I really love Scary Carey Mulligan.

One of the best films I have watched in years

A surprising twist, this was a really great movie. Not sure why it has not gotten too much traction!

The scenario could have simply ended when the video was revealed and then processed by the Police and legal system. Tragic that she had to die... and the impression was that she did not expect the culprit to get free and so forth. As for the subject matter, very hard hitting. It made me very uncomfortable as a man that this was portraying the norm in some cases; and I do have someone in the family that underwent such a savage ordeal... in fact two! Which have never really seen the light of day. From a male perspective, every young person at high school and university should watch this. It has happened too many times and invariably linked to a party or club scene. But also many men have been targeted by women and have had to prove they innocent, and at great cost to themselves and families. This is not an excuse for ignoring the story line. Personally, I would have followed the ancient Chinese penalty of castration on men who prey or think they can get away with violating women even if they have put themselves in dire and unsafe situations. And in my area many years ago, such a women was taken into the rest room and was sexually assaulted by more than one man. Men of the community, trusted men of the community! I do expect men to come up to the plate and behave accordingly whatever the situation with women around. But, and as shown in this film, is naive of me. The greater message for any woman, and even for a man, is not to put yourself in such situations; and if not possible then at least one or more men should have enough integrity to protect the women around them and prevent such despicable actions being taken.

This stayed with me for a long time, not the usual path for the narrative.

Had been wanting to see this film, as soon as I saw the trailer but unfortunately Covid/Lockdowns prevented that from happening!Well, how happy was I to find it on here! I'm ready to watch it again. Such an important and poignant film, showcasing the ongoing ripple effect of a traumatic event, that went unpunished. Something that happens all too often.The ending, for me I found, I wanted it to be different. Don't get me wrong, it works well as is but it left me feeling a little unsatisfied, wanting more. Maybe that was the intention lol.Overall, everyone should watch this film and take on it's message... Being drunk/passed out means, being unable to give consent. You are not owed sex, just because someone accepts your drink, dances with you or even goes home with you. No matter how 'nice' you think you are.(Honorable Mention, also watch: I May Destroy You by Michaela Coel)

This is a thoughtfully and cleverly constructed gem of a film, with excellent directing and cast and an important, but not overly-preaching plot. A bit unbelievable in parts (I worried that our heroine might get seriously hurt by one or two of the men she targeted), but this didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. Carey Mulligan does a terrific performance as usual.

This was a really interesting film. The end almost ruins it by being a bit far fetched but on the whole enjoyable and has some hurous bits too.