Promising Young Woman

Directed by Emerald Fennell (2020)

THIS IS NOT A GOOD VALENTINE'S MOVIE. I wish I would have known this before taking Auva to see it - thanks Alamo Drafthouse and your "staff picks" -.-.

Beyond not being a good Valentine's flick, I am unsure if Promising Young Woman is a good flick in any sense. It couldn't decide if it was a drama, a thriller, or a comedy. After reading some reviews I guess it falls into feminist dark comedy (like Jennifer's Body), but even then I felt it didn't stick to that genre. I'm not saying a movie has to be just one genre, just that the tone typically should be consistent throughout. To me, Promising Young Woman felt too revenge-flick to be actual feminist lecture, too comical for a captivating, make-you-feel-bad thriller, and obviously too intense for a comedy. I think the issues addressed in Promising Young Woman - the sexual assault and rape of women, the de facto default to believing the man, and the casual acceptance of these kind of acts - must be talked about, and I'm glad this movie does, but I think as a movie there is a lot left to be desired. (02/14/21)