Promising Young Woman (2020)

What channel is it on?

I saw it in the movies, although I think it may be streaming somewhere as well

It’s streaming on amazon and iTunes. $19.99

Laverne Cox is in it, so technically it's LGBTQ.

I really enjoyed this dark comedy. Well-acted, interesting characters and you care what happens.

I had no idea who Carey Mulligan was, but when I looked her up I was surprised she was British, because she has a flawless American accent.

I knew that Carrie Mulligan was British, and I knew that it was getting an art house release pattern, so I thought it was a British movie about sexual-harassment…

So I was happily surprised when it turned out to be very American not at all the plot I was expecting.

Wow! Just watched. Very good=not what I was expecting.

I liked it very much. And a very different kind of role for Jennifer Coolidge. Bo Burnham Is kind of cute.

I loved it. It’s a messy movie, but I think that works for it. If it were a more precise, controlled film, it wouldn’t have the same energy. The movie always feels ready to go off the rails, yet it never does.

Blown away that the Camilla Parker Bowles on The Crown wrote and directed it. She will be nominated for an Oscar for writing for sure, and has a major shot at direction. Carrie Mulligan was fantastic (clearly a nom) and a great cameo by Allison Brie. Funny, infuriating, sad.

She also was on Call the Midwife (actress) and wrote/directed the most recent season of Killing Eve. She (Emerald Fennel) is a force to be reckoned with.

The first part was great but further it went the more ridiculous it got. Especially the ending.

A little rough around the edges, and couple implausible moments I won't spoil, but Mulligan's really good in it

Y’all are paying TWENTY DOLLARS to see this on TV?

A while back a DLer said that Carey Mulligan always looks like she just smelled a nasty fart and was trying not to show it.

Now I laugh everytime I see a pic of her. She really does look like that.

A while back a DLer said that Carey Mulligan always looks like she just smelled a nasty fart and was trying not to show it.

Now I laugh everytime I see a pic of her. She really does look like that.

R13 No. There's a thing called torrent.

Carey's wig was distracting but I liked this movie.

I loved this movie. I found it gripping from beginning to end. Also, that ending was something.

I prefer no gay characters to some annoying sassy gay supporting character that so many movies directed at women have.

Did anyone else think Carey looked a lot like post-breakdown Britney in this film? I guess black eyeliner and a cheap blonde wig are all it takes to transform a British Rose into a Southern Murican trash.

And speaking of Brit, j'adore this instrumental version of Toxic used on the soundtrack:

I liked it, but didnt love it. I liked how she was almost a spy with all her different looks. She just seemed to look so much older than everyone around her, I didnt get what age she was supposed to be. And whoever played the groom seemed gay as fuck.

Just saw this, LOVED it! Intriguing and thought-provoking. Mulligan was outstanding — her best work since “An Education” (for which I still believe she was robbed of an Oscar — sorry, Sandra Bullock!)

Mulligan’s different looks throughout the film were so cool, and her American accent was flawless. Good to see her reunion with her “Education” father, Alfred Molina. And Max Greenfield is always a treat to see, even if his role is small.

Probably best not to know too much going in, as there are some real surprises— the scene with Connie Britton literally made the husband and I gasp and look at each other like, “What the FUCK?!”

And great visual look and soundtrack, too. Looking forward to seeing again!

The Connie Britton scene was the one that really sold the movie for me, too. That's the moment where I realized that I had no idea just how far the movie would go, and that's a rare feeling.

The Connie Britton scene was great.

Jennifer Coolidge's face is a horror show. Does she have a medical condition that medication could be causing some of it or is it all horrific plastic surgery?

The trailer is better than the movie. But the lead is an excellent actor, highly skilled.

It was fine. Nothing great. Mulligan was very good.

This movie has stayed with me for days. It's a tightrope act that builds tension and maybe because its a female writer/director it sticks to drama instead of going off the rails into bonkers revenge movie territory. Its an excellent and entertaining film. I think you're going to see it nominated for a bunch of Oscars and likely to win best screenplay and best actress (assuming the academy doesnt want to give McDormand another Oscar so fast).

Its definitely a front runner for best picture. With no theaters, no box office, this is going to become a movie all academy voters watch. And it has that crossover entertainment value. It's not a stuffy drama or a period piece or an adaptation of an important literary classic. And its so 2021.

Just shows you what a trauma can do to your ambition.

My sister had a very smart friend in high school. Instead of going to college she lived with her parents til they died, then she inherited their house. I think she still works as a Cashier in a drug store.

Makes me wonder what happened.

Maybe she had no ambition, R28.

And now she's a homeowner.

Huge mistake to cast “Laverne” Cox in a supposedly feminist film. The filmmakers destroyed their credibility and undermined their entire message with that mis-step.

I posted this in the other thread:

An Oscar screener has made its way onto torrent sites and fucking hell this is an amazing film.

Excellent cast, brilliant performances all around and a storyline that keeps you wondering where it's going. The film also *looks* great, at least it did on my tv, and I really wish I'd seen it in the cinema.

Carey Mulligan looks distractingly like Stevie Nicks for a lot of the film but she deserves all the award recognition she'll hopefully get. Laverne Cox breaks out from her staple role as "sassy friend who raises an eyebrow when she speaks" to "sassy friend with nosering who raises an eyebrow when she speaks". Molly Shannon, Jennifer Coolidge and Alison Brie are best known for comedy, and there is a darkly humourous edge to elements of this, but it doesn't take away from the sadness.

Great soundtrack too and love the Emerald Fennell cameo.

Absolutely brilliant film. Everyone I know who's seen it has loved it.

R23 I was going to write that but you beat me. Very good film. Carey Mulligan is terrific as is the ensemble cast.

I paid the 20 bucks, I was dying to see this. I don't know why the rental price is higher than other rentals. And it's a rental, not to own.

R35 Price are probably higher for rental because they can't really get bums on seats at cinemas and are trying to make a profit like they would have had COVID not emerged.

As others have said, don’t read too much about it or maybe don’t even watch the trailer, it’s best to go and cold and discover it that way

...go in cold...

R33 Brilliant? Come on. It was entertaining, sure. But brilliant? Especially those terrible last 20 minutes

The end was pretty preposterous but it was an engrossing movie.

It sucked. Terrible, heavy handed dialogue. And didn't the last scene feel like a ripoff of Cruel Intentions? I was expecting Bohemian Rhapsody to start playing any second.

Do you mean Bittersweet Symphony, R41?

Twenty bucks about the cost of a theater ticket

Laverne looks generally like a big gal in the film. But there was one scene- maybe she was having a bad day- when she turned around and her wig/extensions looked stiff, and her shoulders were huge... and you thought 'that's a man, baby'.

r42 LMAO yes. I don't know why I said Bohemian Rhapsody.

R41 Yes! It was reminiscent of the end of Cruel Intentions—and given the evidence she had in hand, the denouement seemed an unnecessarily self-destructive way to get justice.

I think she was suicidal from the start R46. It was clear from the bruises as she walked home the next morning that the business man rapist had beaten her up. Sooner or later she was going to get killed.

I watched this today and I liked it despite the stupid ending.

[quote]Molly Shannon, Jennifer Coolidge and Alison Brie are best known for comedy, and there is a darkly humourous edge to elements of this, but it doesn't take away from the sadness.

Molly Shannon was great in that small part. She gave a good dramatic performance in the movie Other People. She should do more drama movies.

Alison Brie was great as the shallow frau who was jarred into realizing that she was a piece of shit in med school.

Saw this tonight as well, and LOVED it. I stood and applauded at the end. Loved that final minute and the song choice was awesome.

I also saw Minari tonight, and loved that film as well.

I am pulling for both these films the most at the Oscars.

It was good enough. Nice performances.

I watched it a couple nights ago and loved it. She was fantastic.

I HATE the title though, it’s completely unmemorable. I keep calling it Bright Young Things.

Emerald Fennell had a cameo? Where?

R52 She played the youtube makeup vlogger

R50 "I stood and applauded at the end." Did you really do that?

Sounds intriguing. I got a SAG screener in today’s mail and will have to watch it now.

I didn't know that you could send texts to arrive days later.

Was I the only one who hoped the Bo Burnham character would have been offed?

Me (les) and my Frau friend in our forties, thought this was the biggest piece of shit we've seen since Us.

Every male is a predator ('Girl Power!') absolutely no subtlety, Carey Mulligan looked way too old to be playing the role, weird story...really disappointed as people have been championing this.

Wouldn't the twist have been better if it turned out her friend had actually participated readily, then killed herself over the guilt or something? And C.M found out half-way through the film after actually murdering people? now THAT would've been shocking.

I just watched it tonight. I live in Nova Scotia, and it reminded me of some high-profile cases we've had here. There was a teenage girl whose rape was filmed (she was drunk at a party) and she killed herself, and at the school of dentistry a group of students had a facebook group where the male students discussed which female students they wanted to rape, and also joked about wanting to drug patients and rape them. They were allowed to graduate.

Overall I liked the movie, but I hated the ending. It's not worth killing yourself over mediocre white men. It didn't seem like a very feminist ending, if that's what the filmmakers were going for.

I didn't believe the scene with the guy in the truck. As soon as she started smashing his rear lights he would have been out and bashing her.

R54, I did!!

I loved it from beginning to end.

I loved the hell out of the last 20 minutes.

I found the film exhilarating in some fucked up way

I am a gal who graduated high school in 1987. The men in this movie remind me of all of the douche white guys in college and high school. Sort of heartbreaking for me to watch.

It took three days to watch because it was harsh. Thanks, Bitches!

However, it sent me back to “Blink” and, regardless of who you are, you need to see that episode of Doctor Who.

Very good. Carey Mulligan was almost like Kathleen Turner in "Crimes of Passion" with all her various looks. She was more than good in the role but I think Margot Robbie (one of the film's producers) could have been even better.

Max Greenfield was excellent in a small but consequential role.

Laverne Cox was proof that the 1990s convention of the female lead's Sassy Gay Friend is this decade's Sassy Trans Friend.

Sly and smart use of disposable women's pop music (Paris Hilton, Britney Spears).

And I thought I had the ending figured out but I didn't.

R60 Yeah, I hated that scene.

R60 I dunno. She looked pretty crazy and he was a loud mouthed pussy.

R32 I was a bit surprised by Jennifer Coolidge's acting in this morning. I found myself feeling sad for her character in a couple of scenes. Coolidge's face was distracting and she should have laid off some of the plastic surgery.

I don’t know how intentional it was but it was a clever touch to have all the douchey men played by actors known for playing “nice guy” roles on TV — Adam Brody, Chris Lowell, Max Greenfield...

The Dr would not pursue a barista who did not put out.

R68 it was completely intentional. She's discussed it in interviews

r58 She didn't murder anyone.

Gay man here so not the target demo, but I loved it, including the ending. I also applaud Emerald because women are having polarizing but very strong reactions. I've seen women say it's incredibly feminist and other women say it's completely sexist.

Here's a thread of critiques (pro and con) from female critics

The groom seemed to be a riff on Brent Kavanaugh, with the crying, etc. The film as a whole was ironic satire, making fun of hyper-feminism as well as straight male rape culture and, of course, the 'happy' ending.

I was surprised that Carey didn't have a stunt double in THAT scene. I would've been terrified

Interview with spoilers

I really can't believe people thought this piece of shit was good.

It was okay as a bit of over the top fluff (Heathers etc) but Oscar nominated? Mindblowing? What the fuck?

[quote]Laverne Cox was proof that the 1990s convention of the female lead's Sassy Gay Friend is this decade's Sassy Trans Friend.

I was thinking, gurl you're not fooling anyone with that gay voice coming out of your mouth.

R68, that casting was spot-on. All the movie needed was Jake Lacy to complete the set.

I didn't see this but I've read a lot about it. I'm surprised that the les & frau friends in some above comment reacted so negatively to the plot. What I'm really curious about, though, is how straight guys are reacting. Does anyone here know?

My favorite movie of the year. Brilliant script -- kept me on the edge of my seat because I had no idea where it was going. Intriguing characters. Great performances all around (Bo Burnham!). Creative, well paced, original....Loved it.

I loved it. Haven't read the thread yet but did this take place in the early 2000's (because of the music?)

This movie had one of the most fuckable male actors of anything outside of gay porn.

R82 Bo Burnham?

I should have said SOME. Bo Burnham, Adam Broday, Max Greenfield, Chris Lowell...