Bombshell is directed by Jay Roach and stars Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie and Nicole Kidman.
Biographical Drama. Released 2019.
Bombshell is a biographical drama based upon the true events of a few years ago through the lens of real-life figures, Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron) and Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) in addition to Kayla Pospisil (Margot Robbie) a fictional character written specifically for the film, but is almost a culmination of the many who spoke out against Roger Ailes (John Lithgow) when working at Fox News. Bombshell documents the takedown of Ailes as well as the emotional state of his victims.
The marketing of this film has been interesting, and I wasn’t sure what to expect where the tone was concerned. It seemed somewhat comedic but also very serious and disturbing when considering its subject matter and these elements seemed to conflict with each other. Naturally, I was eagerly anticipating brand new work from Theron, Robbie and Kidman, all of them being apex talents in the industry.
When Bombshell finished, I was really pleased. Not only did I leave the film so much more informed than I was before, but I was also thoroughly entertained, and I think this is the greatest and most respectable things about Bombshell. This is a very important film; it's informative and factual but it's so accessible as well, and I feel like - although the marketing does make it seem commercially friendly - it may have been made to look overly intended for a female audience, when in reality, this film is accessible to all demographics and is really eye-opening for any audience member, and I hope this is watched by many people. But again, this film is - although emotionally charged in some moments - an easy, fast-paced and energetic watch that will leave you more knowledgeable and likely more open-minded.
Charlize Theron is excellent, transforming into the infamous Megyn Kelly; she is utterly unrecognisable, and not just facially, but vocally as well - highly-skillful, transformative work that not only the make-up department is responsible for, but Theron as well. However, it seems that Theron struggled to emote facially and really exercise her face because of these prosthetics, making me as an audience member feel rather distant from a character that we are following closely, but it didn't affect the experience as much as one would think, because she is still terrific and the prosthetics are insanely good. Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson delivers another solid performance, but she is given the least to do. She has a great impact on the plot from the get-go but there isn't a load of characterisation throughout, even though a lot of her scenes do resonate emotionally because of her performance. The standout performer here is Margot Robbie, and this may be because she doesn't have the pressure of playing a real person and therefore doesn't have to restrict herself to a specific set of gestures or tone of voice, but regardless, she is terrific. She is the heart and soul of the film and the character audience members will empathise with most. If any viewers share similar experiences with Kayla Pospisil, I can imagine one emotionally-charged scene being extremely powerful thanks to the devastating performance from Robbie. Nomination guaranteed and deserved.
The script isn't the most streamlined and cohesively structured, but if anything, it adds to the chaos of what is happening on-screen, and overall works in its favour. It makes a lot of sense that the script is written by Oscar-winning Charles Randolph, writer of The Big Short, because it does feel like Bombshell naturally belongs under the same umbrella as that film as well as Adam McKay's Vice, with regard to style, tone and the modern, real-life subject matter.
Bombshell is an informative and powerful film that packs a punch. With solid and sometimes brilliant performances across the board, it is emotionally resonant all while being extremely easy and entertaining to watch.
Charlize Theron is excellent, transforming into the infamous Megyn Kelly; she is utterly unrecognisable, and not just facially, but vocally as well - highly-skillful, transformative work that not only the make-up department is responsible for, but Theron as well. However, it seems that Theron struggled to emote facially and really exercise her face because of these prosthetics, making me as an audience member feel rather distant from a character that we are following closely, but it didn't affect the experience as much as one would think, because she is still terrific and the prosthetics are insanely good. Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson delivers another solid performance, but she is given the least to do. She has a great impact on the plot from the get-go but there isn't a load of characterisation throughout, even though a lot of her scenes do resonate emotionally because of her performance. The standout performer here is Margot Robbie, and this may be because she doesn't have the pressure of playing a real person and therefore doesn't have to restrict herself to a specific set of gestures or tone of voice, but regardless, she is terrific. She is the heart and soul of the film and the character audience members will empathise with most. If any viewers share similar experiences with Kayla Pospisil, I can imagine one emotionally-charged scene being extremely powerful thanks to the devastating performance from Robbie. Nomination guaranteed and deserved.
The script isn't the most streamlined and cohesively structured, but if anything, it adds to the chaos of what is happening on-screen, and overall works in its favour. It makes a lot of sense that the script is written by Oscar-winning Charles Randolph, writer of The Big Short, because it does feel like Bombshell naturally belongs under the same umbrella as that film as well as Adam McKay's Vice, with regard to style, tone and the modern, real-life subject matter.
Bombshell is an informative and powerful film that packs a punch. With solid and sometimes brilliant performances across the board, it is emotionally resonant all while being extremely easy and entertaining to watch.
B
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