Promising Young Woman is the movie that literally everyone has to go and see, and so I shall now use my time to convince you as to why it is so incredible. If you’re not quite sold yet, stick around, because I am about to share my excitement with you.
Now, I’m gonna do this spoiler-free, and try my best not to say too much, but wowza there is just so much I want to say! I’ve gathered together 7 main reasons as to why you should go watch this film, like, immediately, just in case you’re not yet convinced. If you are, however, then what are you doing here? Garn gitt and watch this movie!
The Goddamn Soundtrack
Please can we take a moment to talk about the superb soundtrack that this film has? Not a single moment feels out of place, and every track perfectly compliments the action. We’ve got ‘Boys’ by Charli XCX, ‘It’s Raining Men’, ‘Angel In The Morning’ and goddamn ‘Stars Are Blind’ by Paris Hilton.
The best part, however, is this violin rendition of Britney Spears’ Toxic which sends shivers down my spine every single time. Please listen to it and try to tell me it isn’t absolutely amazing.
Expectations? Throw Them Out The Window
As Promising Young Woman continues on and on you will be met with hard-hitting questions, powerful statements and a LOT of unexpected moments. Think Parasite levels of suspense and not knowing what will come next. I was on the edge of my seat for like 90% of the film.
However, to get a good idea of what the very basic premise is, have a peep of the iconic trailer.
The Director
Writer and director Emerald Fennell (The Crown, Killing Eve) has put so much heart and soul into this movie and it is absolutely clear to see. A female-led film created by women? You love to see it.
In the words of Paris Hilton, who posted about the movie on her social media, “the writer and director, Emerald Fennell is a brilliant genius!” I mean, if you don’t trust the words of Paris, who else can you trust?
The Perfect Cast
Firstly we have a whole bunch of beloved male actors in Chris Lowell, Adam Brody, Max Greenfield and Bo Burnham, playing roles that are completely different from their typecast usuals. Gone are the comedic, charming roles of old.
That’s where the film shines though, by utilising actors that you know and love, and subverting your expectations, weaponising them to carry the films central message: the ‘good guys’ are often the worst.
I’ve never seen a film weaponize its casting in quite the way Promising Young Woman does with the beloved men of TV shows past but I am frankly obsessed with it? pic.twitter.com/NEXtVFdFto
— Alanna supports the WGA (@AlannaBennett) January 18, 2021
And then there’s the ICONIC Jennifer Coolidge, playing an accidentally comedic mother with so much serious grace, that it’s actually quite startling. This is pretty much Coolidge as you’ve never seen her, and I am obsessed.
I genuinely can’t stop thinking about Jennifer Coolidge’s performance in PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN. She only appears in a handful of scenes, but she elevates each one with *such* comedic melancholy. Iconic casting IMO. pic.twitter.com/Vl6JQHTqTA
— Andrew Frye (@itsandrewfrye) January 17, 2021
The Lead Role
I for one totally believe in Carey Mulligan supremacy. She’s just so good in this film, and the way she expressing a whole range of emotions with just one look is… spine-tingling. To carry a film with such a heavy impact as Promising Young Woman with ease is an absolute achievement.
Oh to be an actor half as talented as this.
The Cinematography
LOOK. AT. THE. MATERIAL.
The Ending
Well, you’ll have to see the film for this one now, won’t you?
