BOMBSHELL – “Boasts knockout performances, but lacks narrative depth”
RATING
DIRECTOR
Jay Roach (Trumbo – 2015)
STARRING
- Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly
- Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson
- Margot Robbie as Kayla Pospisil
- John Lithgow as Roger Ailes
- Kate McKinnon as Jess Carr
- Connie Britton as Beth Ailes
- Mark Duplass as Douglas Brunt
- Rob Delaney as Gil Norman
- Malcolm McDowell as Rupert Murdoch
- Allison Janney as Susan Estrich
- Alice Eve as Ainsley Earhardt
SYNOPSIS
Based on the real scandal, Bombshell is a revealing look inside the most powerful and controversial media empire of all time; Fox News, and the explosive story of the women who brought down the infamous man who created it.
REVIEW SUMMARY
Jay Roach’s cinematic takedown of FOX News boasts knockout performances, but lacks narrative depth, making for a slightly disappointing outcome. To be clear, this film is highly enjoyable, always watchable, and very entertaining. In fact, there’s a great fourth wall breaking / Adam McKay-esque stylization to it all that fits incredibly well with the subject matter. The problem is that the plot never goes as deep as we want it to, mostly hovering around the already well known sensational headlines, and never getting at the heart of the matter. Regardless of the lean plot though, the performances here make it all worthwhile - and then some. Charlize Theron will no doubt have you doing a double take to see if it is actually her on screen and not the prominent individual she is portraying (Megyn Kelly). Seriously, this may very well be the most spot on depiction I have ever seen! Kidman, Lithgow and Robbie all deliver the goods as well, making a case for any one of them to be recognized come awards season. So in the end, while Bombshell makes for some slickly titillating viewing, the subject matter gets a little too glossy to hit the target straight on. And that ladies and gentlemen, is not fake news!
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