Promising Young Woman (2020)

A 30 year old woman (Carey Mulligan) has a dead end job at a coffee shop and still lives at home with her parents (Clancy Brown, Jennifer Coolidge). But she was once a promising medical student who dropped out of medical school when her best friend now deceased, also a medical student, was raped while intoxicated while others stood by and watched. Written and directed by Emerald Fennell in her feature film directorial debut. There's nothing more thrilling than watching an actor give a totally unexpected performance that seems to come out of nowhere. As an actress, Carey Mulligan's career has been uneven, ranging from excellence (AN EDUCATION) to weak (her Daisy in THE GREAT GATSBY). But nothing prepared me for this fierce performance simmering with rage. I only wish the film equaled her performance which is a career best. Don't get me wrong, it's a very good film but there are weaknesses like yet another pop song playing over a montage of cute romantic moments between Mulligan and Bo Burnham. There's a satisfying clever (perhaps too clever) finale which somewhat offsets the downbeat ending but Fennell never lets up on the attack on a male dominated society which marginalizes women and sides with men. With Alison Brie, Laverne Cox, Chris Lowell, Connie Britton, Molly Shannon, Alfred Molina and Max Greenfield.