An evening like any other at a yuppie bar. A group of suits unwind after work. In the corner, a woman is sitting on a couch, obviously drunk, helplessly trying to find her phone. One of the men proclaims to be a gentleman and offers to drive her home. The “nice guy“ exploits the opportunity, takes her to bed and starts undressing her, but her no keeps getting more pesistent until she is suddently sitting across from him, stone cold sober, and he gets the shock of his life. Cassandra (Carey Mulligan) has made it her mission to confront pushy men. The scheme is always the same, it seems to repeat itself every Saturday night, the men always seems to turn out to be despicable. But when she bumps into her college friend Ryan (Bo Burnham), it‘s different. Cassie, who has closed herself off from the world with her cynicism, realized that not everyone is like she believed. What transpires here is in no way a typical romantic comedy. Cassie is an ambivalent figure, neither a foe nor a role model. Emerald Fennel depicts a brilliant reckoning with all the daily sexism and a depraved society. With PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, she delivers both a drastic statement about the #MeToo debate and an impressive debut as a director, with Margot Robbie by her side as a producer. Also by her side: the fearless Carey Mulligan with an amazing performance. PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN is a sharp film with cult potential which Fennel deservedly won an award for best screenplay for at this year‘s Oscars.

Lars Tunçay (INDIEKINO MAGAZIN)

Translation: Elinor Lewy