Bombshell (2019)

A group of women take on Fox News head Roger Ailes and the toxic atmosphere he presided over at the network.

Jess' Review

Bombshell was a film I overlooked upon its initial release, and now, having finally given it a chance, I’m kicking myself for ever dawdling. It’s excellent. Excellent in a quietly insidious way that exposes the ever-present corruption of big cooperation. Specifically in regards to sexual harassment at Fox News. It’s confrontational and impactful, but for me, seemed somewhat subdued.

Helmed by the powerhouse that is Charlize Theron, there is no shortage of talent in the cast. Margot Robbie’s performance is particularly striking, nailing a tricky balance of naivety, internal conflict and raw emotion. Kidman is underused but shines as a source of looming rebellion within the news network. Together, they truly do become the face and drive of the film.

It’s an unpleasant story, regrettably a true one too, that seems a little softened around the edges. Not to say that it isn’t hard-hitting, for there are some incredibly powerful scenes - but rather, the film is palatable. Intentionally so, I would imagine, for a better audience reception. It moves quickly as to not get totally overwhelmed by the intricacies of Fox News as a company, nor the harrowing subject matter. It instead sprinkles in the nasty bits in digestible bites, blending these cold facts with that blockbuster charm. In truth, I think it works well. It doesn’t feel as heavy as one might expect, all whilst without discrediting the harassment case it explores, and thus remains an engaging watch.

Well-shot with strong cinematography, Bombshell was a quietly powerful expose of a disgusting abuse of power. The stellar acting and intensity of the storyline carries it, but it’s fleeting and seems only to dare scratch the surface. Whilst I enjoyed the film and would recommend it to anyone, I admit it could have done a little more to truly make a statement. Perhaps it didn’t need to. It just simply aids in opening the floodgates.

7.5/10

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Sam's Review

Led by an unrecognisable Charlize Theron, playing the role of former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, this is a biting look into sexual harassment in a notoriously disgusting organisation. Straight from the off, I was gripped. Though, and this is an uncomfortable admission, a part of that was at the brazen creepiness that oozed from certain figures. Ailes (Played by the formidable John Lithgow) was particularly repulsive. I was dumbfounded at the harassment. Bombshell does a fantastic job at highlighting how certain nuances, power dynamics and even subtle words can trap people, and more often than not women, into horrible circumstances. And I was just confused. More than once I paused the film to exclaim how crazy a scene was, and how could that happen?!, for Jess to calmly explain that it’s commonplace.

But what was equally as disgusting was the intricate levels to the harassment. Bombshell brilliantly shows the insanity of Fox News. How they seem not to care about facts in news stories slowly spirals until they’re blindly defending monsters while vigorously attacking the victims.

However, I felt at times that the script lagged. And I note that it was written by a man, who perhaps cannot fully understand the subtleties of such horrid acts. The dialogue was good, but never quite great. Apart from one scene outside a restaurant, it lacked a rawness. The pace was great for what it was, I was intrigued the whole time, but mainly because I was so stunned by the story. The victims of this deserved more depth, and it may not have been possible to tell such a gritty story in such a limited amount of time.

Bombshell is shocking. More so because it was true. And the culture of Fox News and many big companies is some weird blend of disgusting, scary and confusing. The film takes a lot of liberties with the truth, and fails to delve deeper into the pain and confusion, but it’s a story that most should hear.

8/10