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| Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role - Charlize Theron |
| Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role - Margot Robbie |
| Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling - Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan, Vivian Baker |
It's hard to know where to begin with Bombshell. It recounts the story of sexual harassment and assault that appear to have been commonplace under the leadership of Roger Ailes who made Fox News into the voice of conservative Republican politics (and by the way, woe to those who think the problem was solved by simply removing him. He covered for many harassers). The movie is based on the widespread reporting and whistle blowing initiated by Gretchen Carlson (who had been a co-host of Fox's early morning show), and corroborated by a reluctant Megyn Kelly. The film follows three main characters, Carlson who, like the smart reporter she is, documented incidents for years before finally doing something about it, Kelly, the reluctant survivor and company woman, and a young reporter played by Margot Robbie who is in the unenviable position of having to decide whether to capitulate to Ailes for the promise of an advancing career.
I realize there is no way to talk about this film without raising the hackles of both sides of the political divide. There are those who would only believe a woman claiming sexual harassment if there is some sort of documentation (video, audio recording... and let's face it, even when some of these folks hear an audio recording of an assaulter confessing his crimes, that still isn't enough)... as though this is the standard they hold for all crimes. (Do they only send people to prison for other crimes when there is absolute documentation? I think not.) And again, I remind you that no narrative film is a documentary and therefore, if Bombshell spoke to you, it's important to read the accounts of the facts (if you believe Ailes' accusers as I do), rather than retelling the narrative of the film as gospel truth.
But this film was outraging in the best of ways. Finally, the story is told through the eyes of the women experiencing inappropriate and illegal behavior, rather than through the perpetrators'. The most important moments of the film are those that speak precisely to the common arguments made by idiots. "Why didn't she report it?" You mean, report the bad behavior to the people perpetrating it? "Women aren't idiots," say Megyn Kelly. "Why didn't she leave?" Ah yes, SHE has to leave, you know, the one not doing anything wrong, just showing up and working hard every day. She gets to be further punished. The best part of this film is that it is told through the lens of a conservative woman, NOT a feminist (I mean, she still wants to be paid what she is worth regardless of her gender, she still wants to be able to make and own her choices, she still wants to have access to the same successes as men are allowed to pursue... but definitely not a feminist. As though those things aren't just the friggin' definition of feminism. But I digress.)
The thing that troubles me so much is that this whole real life experience and the film will just have no impact among the people who just believe what they believe. But the acting, the story, the entirety of the film was outstanding and comes just at the right time in history. Feel free to fight me. I AM a feminist, and this film spoke to me.
It is worth mentioning that this is first time that Charlize Theron has ever used prosthetics (including her Oscar winning role in Monster), and it was highly successful. The incredible work made her look like a bang on facsimile of Kelly, herself.
If you're interested in knowing more, Megyn Kelly talks more about it in her book Settle For More.
Watch the trailer here:
