Promising Young Woman: Analysis & Review
I have watched this movie a lot over the past five years. My first viewing left me in tears and in complete shock. After watching it once more now, with this review in mind, I have some thoughts I would love to share.
TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions of sexual assault and suicide ahead!
This movie deals with topics regarding assault with such reverence and care. I want to give it the flowers it deserves.
The Promising Parts:
The First SEVEN minutes are completely perfect, and a great way to set the tone for the rest of the film.
The filming, the set design, and the music choices were phenomenal. I loved the way this movie felt, the framing of each scene, it all felt so organic and truly like a slice of life of Cassie.
The opening song being centered about boys (Boys by Charli XCX), then the first camera shot really set the tone of the movie. As it was also centered around men in a club, dancing, having fun, and having camera shots aimed to their pelvises and asses, just as women are typically objectified in these types of scenes. It shows that this movie is going to flip the script instead. Then to have the upbeat music and seemingly happy tone juxtaposed with the disgusting way some of the men talk to each other regarding a woman they work with, then Cassie, really created a pit in my stomach. A wonderful pit highlighting the tone of this movie, and showing how casually misogyny has been integrated into the way men talk to each other when it comes to women, especially women they do not like or can outwardly degrade.
Not to mention how seamlessly the "nice guy" defends both the woman at work and Cassie, while then showing how dangerous he too is. The movie painstakingly shows how he pressures Cassie into going to his house, instead of having the driver drop her off at her home as originally planned. How he pours her a lot of liqueur (pouring himself an eighth of that amount) instead of the beer he told her he'd give her, despite her being so entirely and positively intoxicated that having even one more drink seemed ridiculous. Then how the camera shows him closing in on her, how he sits directly next to her on a giant couch, the shot framing Cassie as pushed into a corner. All this while he is discussing his roommate being out of town and for her "not to worry." Then he decides to touch Cassie, kissing her as she is clearly unable to participate, let alone consent. He takes her to his bed as he continues to kiss, touch, and assault her, and he would have continued if it weren't for her showing how sober she actually was, and confronting him.
This specifically highlights how anyone can be complicit or a perpetrator of rape culture, and how easy it is for women to be assaulted if they are not in a constant defensive state. A state they should not have to be in. (Not to mention how the "nice guy" character was played by Adam Brody, an actor typically known to play love interest characters, I will discuss this more in the casting section of this review.) This is also further highlighted by other dumb shit the other men Cassie tricks say ("why do women feel the need to wear makeup, guys don't even like that kind of thing" etc). All of these men also pretend to act polite and nice, calling Cassie pretty while trying to get what they want out of her.
Cassie Was Already Dead:
"If I wanted a boyfriend, and a yoga class, and a house and kids, and a job my mom could brag about, I'd have done it. It would take me ten minutes. I don't want it."
On a first watch through, its easy to think that this line that Cassie says makes her seem strong and independent. However, in reality it really highlights how small her world is, how isolated she's made herself, how emotionally dead she is as a result of Nina's assault and death.
Cassie's world consists of living with her parents, in her childhood bedroom, well into adulthood. This emphasizes that Cassie is physically stunted, physically confined to a space she should have grown out of. She works a job that is beneath her given her intelligence. Cassie doesn't have friends (aside from her boss, Gail), no boyfriend, no plan for her future. Down to her nail polish, reminiscent of a childhood she cannot move past. She doesn't want anything. She is closed off to the world emotionally and physically, because she is already hollowed out, dead inside ever since Nina died. Cassie blames herself for the fact that she did not go with Nina to the party at which she was assaulted. This guilt eats at her still, adding to her stunted emotional growth. She cannot stop blaming herself, she cannot forgive herself.
Then Cassie and the audience finds out that Al Monroe, the man who assaulted Nina, is getting married, that he has a future, that he gets to move forward with no consequences. (Not only that, he's getting married to a woman primarily prized for her appearance. Her name is not even revealed until nearly the end of the movie, instead all she is reduced to is a "bikini model").
Cassie and Nina are forever stunted either by death or trauma. Yet Al gets to be successful and happy? This sets Cassie off, and she starts forming the plan to get full revenge on all those that did wrong by Nina. She doesn't mind any consequences, legal or otherwise. She no longer cares, she doesn't want anything, just revenge for Nina.
She describes this herself as she tells Al Monroe about the way that Nina crumbled and fell into a deep depression after her assault. How Nina then committed suicide as a result as well. How Cassie dropped out of medical school with Nina to support her, and never went back. When Nina died, Cassie essentially did too, and turned to a life of scaring men, hoping to prevent more hardship and get some sort of small vengeance, I'm sure.
However, one thing slows Cassie down before she gets to Al.. she meets Ryan.
The Brief Revival of Cassie
As Cassie begins to trust Ryan, opening herself up to him and to a future she begins to show signs of life again. She hums along to music, dances, sings in public. The future looked much brighter and bigger than the life she had. Until it comes crashing down all around her, Ryan was complicit and IN ATTENDANCE to the assault of Nina, in fact he laughed about it. Even after being confronted with this information, Ryan gets defensive, "I didn't even do anything!" He either will not admit or does not understand the disgusting role he played in silencing Nina, and perpetuating rape culture. In fact he goes as far to call Cassie a failure, his worst side saying the worst thing he can just to try to repress his guilt. It is obviously a thought he's been holding on to, silently judging Cassie from the start.
In Cassie's mind, this interaction further confirms that she was right, that men will continue to prove her right, that she cannot trust them. This mindset that she had over years, going to bars every week to seek out "nice guys" to confront, to initially running from Ryan and rejecting him, to not wanting a boyfriend in the first place! And once she opened up to the idea of it again, it burned her, and confirmed her worst fears and reinvigorated her original mindset. Instead fueling a desire to go and confront Al Monroe, to torture him or to get him to commit a crime she could get justice for. She turned to avenging Nina in any way she could, even if that meant death.
Acts 1-5
I promise to keep it short, hitting on the important notes. Blanket statement though: I think it is so incredibly telling that Cassie gave each and every person she confronted the chance to do the right thing. To admit fault. Yet, only one person was able to do so.
Act 1 - Madison McPhee
I loved how she was handled as a woman with a "pick-me" attitude. Claiming that she was a feminist until she got married to satisfy her husband. How she too was complicit in the vile assault that happened to Nina. How she didn't stand by her, how she dismissed the entire incident as "drama."
It truly showed how even women can be complicit in rape culture, how even if they think that are safe by being "chosen" that they are not immune to the system they perpetuate.
This works as a perfect segue into the next act.
Act 2 - Dean Walker
Dean Walker only remembers Al Monroe's name. This act truly does a great job at emphasizing just how much victims of assault are ignored at an institutional level. Dean Walker blames Nina for the assault, blames her for putting herself into a vulnerable position. Dean Walker took no action against Al Monroe despite having Nina report the incident directly to her.
At an institutional level, men are always given the benefit of the doubt. This is true until it is their kids. Until it is Dean Walker's child.
Act 3 - Jordan Green
A lawyer that was known for getting young men off of various sexual assault charges. He represents the disgusting legal bullying that often happens to assault victims that are brave enough to speak out.
However, in this film, Mr. Green is the only character to remember Nina, to feel guilt and remorse for what he did. He even admits that he would bully and harass victims in order for financial gain, that it was common amongst his colleagues as well. He welcomes the consequences of his actions, even if that means physical pain, and it throws Cassie off, in fact he even frightens her with his honesty and frantic behavior. He begs her to help him, he tells her that he can never forgive himself. He does not beg for hers either, yet she gives it. He then knees down in front of her, still saying that he is sorry. He is the only one able to admit fault and welcome the results of his actions.
(Even when RYAN is confronted with his actions, he begs for forgiveness to absolve his guilt. He does so without earning it. He begs when he has no right to.)
He is also the only one willing to follow through on his atonement, reporting Cassie's disappearance and death to the police. He ensures her justice. I can appreciate that this character is not shown to be a good person, but that he can still do the bare minimum and try to change. That he can show remorse and guilt, and choose to stop participating in the system he was compliant in. He's not a good person, but he is a person who stopped helping others be worse.
Act 4 - Al Monroe
After Cassie finds out about the video of Nina, and Ryan's involvement, her heart is shattered. The rage is re-lit inside her at the sight of what happened to Nina, and the fact that this video had been sent around as petty gossip. After confronting him, and getting the address to Al Monroe's bachelor party, she charges in impersonating a stripper.
It's here that I want to note just how much I love the music in this movie. The use of a strings cover of Toxic in this scene is incredibly iconic. It adds to the foreboding tone, raising the stakes further, pushing us as the audience to sit at the edge of our seats.
The monologue she delivers, explaining how much she loved Nina, how much Cassie completely adored her. It completely breaks me down into tears. This was a girl with a bright future, a girl who was loved, a girl who had her life destroyed. Cassie explains the feeling, how Nina was stripped of her identity once she was assaulted, how Al's name surrounded and consumed her. As Al calls Cassie insane, she delivers one of the most impactful replies, "I honestly don't think I am," a smile on her face. She's right too, if I knew my best friend, my sister, or any woman in my life was assaulted and destroyed as a result, I can't say I wouldn't go to extremes like Cassie. I'm not sure any woman wouldn't.
I also can't lie, Cassie's death scene is incredibly hard to watch. The movie takes its time, letting us hear her screams, letting us see her writhe as Al (then later, Joe) blames her for her own death. It eats me up every time I watch it.
Act 5 - Justice
We return back to Ryan, and he has one last chance to do the right thing. To tell the detective looking for Cassie, where she was going. Yet, he doesn't out of self preservation for his career, he refuses to stand up for even her, a woman he claims to have loved. In fact, he lies, making Cassie seem mentally unstable. He even goes as far to attend Al's wedding anyway.
At Al's wedding, however, we get the final act, Cassie's final message to Ryan. She was prepared for death, she arranged for Al to get his consequences, and for justice to finally be served.
I even love the little detail of Cassandra knowing that Ryan would go to Al's wedding. Despite "recently remembering" the assault, the crime, Al committed.
Criticisms, Few and Far Between
Honestly, after watching this movie again, and trying to find things to write about in terms of criticism, I have basically none. Do I love that at the end the cops are the ones to take Al in, rather than Cassie cutting him into ribbons? No, but does the fact that he will almost definitely rot in jail for the rest of his sorry life thanks to her airtight case help? Yes. Its tragic and completely unfair that Cassie had to die for Al to face any consequences. However, I do think that again, Cassie wasn't really living (not that it justifies her literal murder of course), she was stuck in the past, her mind always on Nina. This way, she was finally free, and died knowing that it would work out anyway.
Thematically, as a movie, I think Cassie’s death also serves as an allegory for how often survivors of sexual assault go unheard. How many have their stories smothered by their perpetrator, the courts, their social groups. We must confront the noisy, agonizing death of their stories as we do Cassie.
Despite my personal disdain for police, I can appreciate that in every critical role to finding Cassie's remains, and arresting Al, a woman was doing the job. A woman and her search dog discover the ashes, a woman actually puts the handcuff on Al and takes him away. Women inadvertently haunt Al to the end.
Casting:
Laverne Cox and Carey Mulligan are incredibly talented women.
I think that Gail being such a sweet and caring person made this movie have such a soft spot in my heart. She is shown to be a supportive and stable constant in this story that I completely enjoy. She is soft and lovely, while pushing for Cassie to want more. God i love this woman thank you Laverne Cox.
Carey Mulligan also does such a fantastic job of playing an aloof, monotone character. Throughout most of the movie, her expression is deadpan and stone cold, showing how hollow Cassie is after Nina's death. It really is a fantastic performance.
The MEN! Oh my gosh the way this movie casts so many male actors known for playing heartthrob romantic roles, just to have them be completely sinister in this movie, it was completely GENIUS. What a fantastic use of public perception.
Not to mention having Bo Burnham, a comedian rather than typical actor nor typical love interest plays the love interest in this film. He does this just to have him prove to be complicit in the disgusting behavior that killed Nina as well. It works to completely shock the audience, and to truly crush the perception we had of Ryan throughout the beginning of the film, after we and Cassie look past his (deeply) uncomfortable missteps in the beginning of their relationship.
SIDE NOTE: I think it is incredible foreshadowing to have Ryan ask Cassie out on a date while she is at work. It is completely inappropriate to hit on anyone while they are actively working. It creates a power imbalance, where the person being pursued cannot leave. To have Ryan do this, and do it so abruptly hints that he may not be the innocent, considerate, nice guy he portrays. Not to mention how this whole scene is played out as a cute thing to do, tricks the audience into accepting the more subtle forms of discomfort, that often women have to deal with. For example, if Cassie was not interested in Ryan, or if Ryan was portrayed by someone not typically considered attractive, this scene would be a LOT creepier. THEN to have this compounded by the fact that Cassie GAVE HIM A FAKE NUMBER and he still pushed her into going on a date with him, AGAIN at her place of work. Yet this is still portrayed as charming and romantic. While Ryan doesn't assault anyone, it is clear he does not respect when women tell him "no," and it is clear from the moment we meet him.
Easter Eggs
"There are things you do hate, Lord. Perfume-smellin' things, lacy things, things with curly hair."
Almost every time I have watched this movie, I had never really listened to this line. It’s said on the TV that Cassie’s parents are watching. I did some digging and it turns out this line is from the movie The Night of the Hunter, and this line is spoken by a serial killer that murders women because he believes God hates them. Then he uses their money to fuel his next murder. This small detail continues to show the ingrained violence toward women our society has always had and portrayed in media.
Cassie's Car! Even her car is trapped in the past, the small detail of a car with a hand cranked window really shows how stunted all of the stuff surrounding Cassie is too. (This also includes Cassie's mother's sense of style at home. The house being highlighted with vintage furniture and decor, INCLUDING a black and white TV!)
Nina's Necklace, this is less of an easter egg and more of a telling detail. While Cassie pretends to be a stripper at the bachelor party, she wears Nina's necklace. She flaunts the memory, giving all of them a chance to realize, and to save themselves. Yet nobody notices, even when she draws their attention to her chest, all they focus on is her body.
Ratings (TLDR)
Plot: 9.8/10 - I still can't help but wish that Cassie got one good cut in on Al.
Set Design: 9/10 - I love all the attention to detail of the feeling of the past, vintage furniture and decor embedded all around Cassie. She's stuck in time, and the set design enforces that.
Music: 10/10 - The use of love songs in both a sarcastic and sincere way is such a hard line to walk without becoming too obvious. What an incredible use of a soundtrack, and such a fantastic one too. Toxic, Angel in the Morning, Boys? Fantastic
Casting/Acting: 10/10 could not have asked for better casting, it was incredibly stacked for such a small group. Everyone delivered fantastic performances.
Overall: 9.7/10, such an incredible movie. I am so surprised that I don't hear people talk about it more often.
Reflection
Do I think that every man is evil? No absolutely not. However, I do think we, as a culture, need to understand that only being "not a rapist" isn't enough. We need to teach men , and hold them accountable when they refuse to call out misogyny and a rape-culture mindset. This is especially true as they may listen to their peers more than others. Letting "locker talk" slide, allowing for that one friend to keep harassing women to give him their number, waving off creepy behavior to avoid conflict, all of that too is completely unacceptable. If you are not saying something, standing up against this mindset, maybe you are not the nice guy (or other gender identity) you think you are.
Writer's Note
wow, if you made it to the end of this thank you. I had a really great time writing this, as I love this movie and want it to get more attention. I really hope that all my points got across and landed how I want them to. I hope I could provide some more insight into the subtle details of this film, or give you another perspective.
I have such a respect for survivors of assault, and to those brave enough to report it. I hope I did you all justice as well in this analysis. If I missed anything please let me know, I would love any feedback you could give.
