Bombshell is a 2019 American biographical drama film directed by Jay Roach and written by Charles Randolph. The film stars Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, and Margot Robbie, and is based upon the accounts of several women at Fox News who set out to expose CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment.
Given the subject matter, I’m sure you won’t mind if i’m somewhat more…. focused than usual as I in no way shape or form wish to trivialize what (according to reports) at least 23 women went through at the hands of just this one man.
And it’s a shame that Bombshell looks like being a financial bomb as it genuinely is a very important film even if at times it does feel like it’s pulling it’s punches somewhat with regards to where it could have gone and what it could have done/said.
I mean yes, Charlize Theron inhabits the role of Megyn Kelly so completely that for almost the entire run-time I was convinced that Kelly was playing herself, John Lithgow ( under ton of latex) is incredible as Roger Ailes but there my praise sort of stops.
The films starts in the tone of The Big Short, shredding the fourth wall in order to set the scene and then just drops the gimmick where I feel that actors turning to camera and confirming that this really happened or clarifying a point would have helped to drive the narratives point home. And maybe going for a grittier, more documentary style of shooting would have helped.
Robbie’s character is wasted as well, I mean I get that creating a fictional character is great to keep the plot moving and explore what happened with a relatively free hand but again, this feels like a slightly wasted opportunity as the film never goes as far as it could and indeed should.
Hell, even former Fox News producer Julie Zann confirmed many details in the movie, including having to do the infamous “spin” to show off their bodies to Ailes in private; Zann tearfully noted that reality was “worse than that” and the filmmakers “let Roger off easy”.
Bombshell is a good film. It’s impeccably cast and incredibly well acted but it needed to go further- if your going to use the same shooting style as The Big Short then go all the way with that, don’t be afraid to show us what actually happened as that’s what the plot of the film is about.
However, I get the feeling that the script might have been shown to perhaps one too many lawyers before shooting starts.
Add a touch more grit and this could have been a great film. Instead, it’s merely a very good one.
My Score- See It
danielsdunkings 