Once back home, where she lives with her parents, she makes a mark in a notebook, and feels both satisfied and very sad. Each week, we explore unique solutions to some of the world's biggest problems. 9. [5] In January 2019, it was announced Carey Mulligan had been set to star in the film, with Fennell directing. She hates him so much!. In the end, Cassies inability to find a path forward from Ninas trauma ended in her death. Without spoiling the plot of the film from writer-director Emerald Fennell (Killing Eve), it can be revealed that Promising Young Woman is a revenge movie that is also a far cry from the assault . She had sent the location of the bachelor party to the remorseful lawyer who once defended Al in the rape case, with a heads up that she planned to be there, in the event that she disappeared. Its difficult to talk about. "Promising Young Woman" is noteworthily directed, written and produced by rising female auteur Emerald Fennell, with acclaimed actress Carrey Mulligan as its star. After years of living in solitude, Cassie becomes a cold woman living with her parents, who cannot cheer her up or get her to find a better job (and leave home). The first draft of Promising Young Woman, Emerald Fennell's glowing, vicious debut feature, ended . But I think her hope is that things would go the way that she wants them to, and that this guy will forever have this thing on his stomach that says Nina and that hell never be able to tell anyone why or what happened. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Waynes World is not the film Penelope Spheeris wants to be remembered for, Armie Hammer sexual-assault allegations being reviewed by L.A. prosecutors, Morgan Freeman criticizes Black History Month and the term African American, Vidiots returns: L.A. institution reveals opening date for new movie theater, video store, Super Mario Bros. surpasses $600 million to top the 2023 box office, Review: Thoughtful whimsy animates Haruki Murakami adaptation Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman, An earthquake made Makoto Shinkai a disaster artist. Something happened at university that you barely remember with a girl that was, as far as you guys were all concerned, crazy drunk, and always shagged everyone. Promising Young Woman is a cohesive, well-directed, and generally well-told story about the trauma of sexual assault on those at the periphery of the crime . I mean, I know for myself, but I think thats for everyone else to decide. But seeing Cassies death made me realize just what writer/director Emerald Fennell had been up to all along: She was forcing us to see just how thoroughly the point of view of guys like Al has suffused our pop culture. By inconsistent, I do not mean the ideology purported by the film but the treatment of the film itself. Fennell agreed that Cassie was not on some sort of suicidal death trip. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. Cassie gets Madison drunk and hires a man to take Madison to a hotel room. One is just skipping through daisies and delicious, beautiful candy land. Arc Studio lets us collaborate across the entire season and manage incoming notes or changes without ever losing track of a single thing. [37] The National Society of Film Critics defended Harvey's review and criticized Variety's apology. Emerald Fennell tells EW why she chose to end her rape-revenge thriller with a shock. Even many people who are ostensible fans of the movie are nevertheless thrown by its final moments as a disorienting series of events unfold. A boldly provocative, timely thriller, Promising Young Woman is an auspicious feature debut for writer-director Emerald Fennell -- and a career highlight for Carey Mulligan. Green is remorseful, on leave from practicing law after a nervous breakdown, and Cassie forgives him. Plot - Promising Young Woman is a 2020 black comedy thriller film following Cassie Thomas, a 30-year-old medical school dropout who is still living with her parents while waiting tables at a cheap coffee shop to earn a living. Those developments are a lot to cram into the last 15 minutes of a movie, even when you accept that Promising Young Woman has already crammed a lot of other incidents into its story before that. The feature debut from writer-director Emerald Fennell, "Promising Young Woman" seems designed to spur on uncomfortable post-movie conversations and think pieces as it . Instead, through a partnership between sister companies Focus Features, Universal Pictures and, List of accolades received by Promising Young Woman, "Indie filmmakers see profit in straight-to-streaming releases", "Carey Mulligan To Star In FilmNation, LuckyChap Thriller 'Promising Young Woman' EFM", "Bo Burnham to Star Opposite Carey Mulligan in 'Promising Young Woman'; Alison Brie, Connie Britton, Adam Brody & More Round Cast", "Clancy Brown Boards 'Promising Young Woman' at Focus Features", "Carey Mulligan on Taking on Toxic Men and Performing Paris Hilton's Song in 'Promising Young Woman', "Carey Mulligan Exacts Sweet Revenge Across Los Angeles in 'Promising Young Woman', "How 'Promising Young Woman' Weaponizes Hollywood's Nice Guys", "Let's Talk About the Knockout Ending of 'Promising Young Woman', "Focus Boards Carey Mulligan Thriller 'Promising Young Woman', "Sundance Unveils Female-Powered Lineup Featuring Taylor Swift, Gloria Steinem, Abortion Road Trip Drama", "Focus Features to Release PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN on April 17", "Promising Young Woman will be available to rent starting next week", "How To Watch Promising Young Woman Streaming", "A deep dive into Promising Young Woman's creative prowess", "Review: Carey Mulligan holds the wild revenge-thriller provocations of 'Promising Young Woman' together", "The Agony And Subversion Of The 'Promising Young Woman' Ending", "Promising Young Woman makes smart, devious use of Bo Burnham", "Oscars Nominations: 'Mank' Leads with 10 Noms, Plus 'Nomadland,' 'Judas,' 'Minari,' 'Sound of Metal,' and More", "Longlists, 2021 EE British Academy Film Awards", "2021 EE British Academy Film Awards: The Nominations", "Nominations for the 78th Golden Globe Awards (2021) Announced", "Critics Choice Awards: 'Mank' Leads With 12 Nominations, Netflix Makes History With Four Best Picture Nominees", "The 2020 Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award Nominations", "Read the 'Promising Young Woman' Script by Emerald Fennell (EXCLUSIVE)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Promising_Young_Woman&oldid=1149956770, This page was last edited on 15 April 2023, at 13:46. The Real Meaning Of Promising Young Woman's Ending. So Cassie disguises herself as a stripper and shows up at Als bachelor party, where she will carry out her final act of revenge: carving Ninas name into Als skin after she handcuffs him to the bed. Fair warning: I have written a book on campus sexual assault, so this movie review dives deep into the substance behind the story of Promising Young Woman. Spoilers ahead! I have a test that I sometimes apply to works of fiction, especially movies. Lisa and Dean are joined by Real Crime Profile Podcast's Laura Richards and Jim Clemente to breakdown the incredible film 'Promising Young Woman' written and directed by Emerald Fennell, starring Carey Mulligan in a performance for the ages. Im used to reading scripts where I go like, Oh, I know where this is going. This includes manipulating two women, Madison and the dean of the medical school she went to in the past, to make them feel a similar dread that Nina, an old friend of Cassies, felt several years prior. And so Im going to keep going. There is little to no connection between the friend and her quest for . She is heroic, even if that heroism is distressing in lots of ways, Fennell said. She handcuffs him to a bed and eventually reveals her identity. In a year when cinema itself seemed greatly compromised, Emerald Fennell's Promising Young Woman was one of the most provocative films of 2020. Cassie arrives at Al's bachelor party posing as a stripper. [12], According to Carrie Wittmer of The Ringer, the film production crew deliberately chose male actors who previously played characters known as good or wholesome to reinforce the idea that predators can be anyone. (Another famous example, from another movie that uses the trappings of the exploitation thriller to its own ends: Kill Bill, which ends with its hero driving off into the sunset after killing everyone who used, abused, and oppressed her.). When Cassie says she needs to lie down, Jerry brings her to bed and starts trying to take her panties off. His first civics lesson? If theaters were currently open nationwide, audiences would be exiting cineplexes talking energetically about Promising Young Woman about Mulligans tour-de-force performance, and what its saying about the world in which we live. After audiences are left reeling by Cassies death, they must grapple with the final beat of her revenge from beyond the grave. Here we get to see the protagonist return back to their original situation changed with the knowledge and experience they found in their journey. Promising Young Woman's Flaws Run Deeper Than Its Bad Ending. They would also be discussing and probably arguing about its ending. For me, Emerald Fennells Promising Young Woman is the most vital screenplay of the past year (it received 5 Oscar nominations, including one for Best Original Screenplay), exuding a similar anger and tenacity as seen in Get Out. The world we live in and the stories we tell are so biased toward the point of view of blandly likable, straight, white, cis guys that we have to imagine a hyper-intelligent woman with an unquenchable thirst for revenge striking back at them from beyond the grave to contemplate anything like justice. Everything after this can be stemmed back to this moment. Cassie faces a rare moment of having to directly see the aftermath of her revenge. It Just didnt seem real at all. But Cassie is nothing if not a brilliant and promising young woman. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. In the filmwhich premiered at Sundance and hits theaters on . April 24, 2021. With Arc Studio, you stay focused while writing your screenplay, craft better stories, and collaborate with ease. By submitting your email, you agree to our, A close read of Promising Young Womans brilliant, divisive ending, What we know about the Dadeville, Alabama, mass shooting, Why Democrats best Trump indictment attack may be none at all, The worst-case scenario for drought on the Colorado River, The outrage over Black teen Ralph Yarls shooting, explained, Sign up for the Plot Point Breakdown: 'Promising Young Woman' There's no better way to learn the art of screenwriting than breaking down the best scripts in the business. Overall, the highly-anticipated 2020 film has mostly received positive reviews. At times the film's tone can feel inconsistent, and for all its darkness and nihilism the film's use of irony sometimes feels a little heavy-handed. By this I mean that if I find something that happens in a movie implausible but not impossible, I consider whether the movie would be as successful without it. Cassie gets the location of Als party from Ryan, the guy she is dating for much of the film, until she realizes that he, too, didnt do anything to help Nina as she was being raped in front of numerous people at a party. You love your fianc! Madison gives her an old phone containing a video of Nina's rape before warning her never to contact her again. You might be indifferent to it. But I do feel strongly that what she does was the only thing she felt she could do.. Theres a question hanging over Promising Young Woman. Does Cassie have any desire to live a different sort of life the life that she might have led had Nina not been raped? Fennell also won Best Original Screenplay at the Critics' Choice Awards, Writers' Guild Awards, and British Academy Film Awards. In the movies third act, Ryan (Bo Burnham), Cassies new boyfriend, has broken her heart: Shes discovered that he witnessed Ninas rape possibly even egging on rapist Alexander Monroe (Chris Lowell). Inevitably, a man takes her home, and inevitably, he tries to sleep with her without her clear consent. Emerald Fennell's directorial debut 'Promising Young Woman' takes the form of a thrilling rape-revenge plot. One day Ryan happens to run into Cassie and the two fall in love. Even still, the conclusion leaves some unanswered questions. She dies. The first version of the script ended with Al and Joeburning Cassies body. Fennell has described Promising Young Woman using the terminology of addiction, in that targeting guys in bars is a high for Cassie from which she must inevitably be plunged back down into despair . By Joey Nolfi December 26, 2020 at 11:00 . "[15] In regards to the reveal showing his true character, Dowd said: "Even those who didnt participate are complicit for their silence, their justifications, their refusal to intervene. The genre it most properly belongs to is the lattermost, as the action of the film is mostly devoted to trying to figure out just what makes Cassie tick. This is the world as the protagonist currently lives in it, and while it might not be perfect, it is, in some way, comfortable. And then it also requires seeing who Cassie is within the context of her relationship with Ryan (its rom-com side). Still, haphazard as "Woman" can seem, it all somehow pulls together at last with a . One look at the video proving Ryans presence at Ninas rape brings an end to that. The movie was initially scheduled to be released by Focus Features in the spring having first premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival but those plans were derailed by the pandemic. Therefore, Promising Young Woman wouldnt be a movie without its final moments. When Cassie abducts a young girl named Amber (Francisca Estevez) from her school under the guise that she is a make-up artist on a job for a popular boy band. Promising Young Woman is the movie on everyone's lips right now, with the critical acclaim to back it up. PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN. I think the road has taken her this far and she has to see it through.. Promising Young Woman's largest tonal shift occurs when the film briefly, giddily, becomes a romantic comedy; Cassie shares a falling-in-love montage with Ryan (Bo Burnham), the former med . In Promising Young Woman, we get to see Cassie use her intelligence and grift that she used on the man at the beginning to get revenge on those who wronged her in the past. Madison confronts Cassie outside her house, desperate to know what happened after their lunch. Maybe through her blossoming relationship with Ryan she can find a path forward. So she held his hand, Review: Beau Is Afraid is quite an odyssey, but not necessarily an oughta-see, Review: Edgy satire Sick of Myself takes narcissism to a hilariously queasy new level, Review: A pulsating documentary takes up The Fight Against Native American Mascoting. Madison shows Cassie a recording of Ninas rape where shes devestated to see that Ryan, Mr. Nice, was there when Al raped Nina. Promising Young Woman is a 2020 thriller film written, co-produced, and directed by Emerald Fennell in her feature directorial debut. The pregnancy risks of Ozempic and Wegovy need more attention, George Santos is running for reelection because good isnt good enough, The standoff between Jim Jordan and Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, explained. Danielle Stafford splashed out on designer bags, watches and plush . The film starts in a nightclub where friends Jerry (Adam Brody), Paul (Sam Richardson), and Jim (Ray Nicholson) are having drinks. In an unforgettable Oscar-nominated performance, the . An exploitation thriller ending is precisely the ending that Promising Young Woman serves up. Watching it, Cassie sees Ryan as a bystander. Well done! The police discover her burnt remains and the necklace and arrest Al for the murder during his wedding reception as Ryan receives a final text from Cassie, signed with her and Nina's names. Get an actionable guide for writing your first script from HBO writer David Wappel. My father-in-law is a retired policeman, so I asked him how long it would take to smother somebody, Fennell said. Mark Olsen writes about all kinds of movies for the Los Angeles Times as both a feature writer and reviewer. What seemed like a righteous path of revenge now shows glimmers of self-destruction. I think [Emerald] very much intentionally leaves that open because the legal system doesnt have an answer for Ryan, there isnt a precedent for what do you do with just like the outer rings of complacency in something like this? said Burnham. It sort of felt at least like some small justice was afforded..