It would be fair to assume that ‘Bombshell’ is jumping on the bandwagon of #MeToo era films with themes of female empowerment in male dominated arenas at the centre. As a matter of fact, Annapurna Pictures began the process of getting the greenlight for the film’s production almost three years ago – notably before the shocking allegations against Harvey Weinstein catapulted a global movement to stop workplace harassment against women. When newscaster Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) files a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment against Fox News founder Roger Ailes (John Lithgow), the dirty truth begins to unravel as multiple other women, including correspondent Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron), come forward with their own experiences. This becomes an unprecedented sensation across the world – sparking questioning of what constitutes workplace harassment other than the obvious.
There is a skimming quality to ‘Bombshell’ that prevented me from fully engaging with it. The film glosses over the intricacies of the high stakes lawsuit in favour of a focus on the casual sexism the women depicted here – and beyond – face in the workplace and what needs doing to challenge it. The film loses its way around the half way mark, which is a shame as this is where the central trio begin putting into motion the steps to filing the lawsuit. There is an issue with pacing here, as the screenwriters seemed to be in a frantic hurry to wrap things up so the credits could start rolling. At a shorter than average 108 minute running time, they could have afforded to give us that bit more detail instead of constantly reminding us that harassment of all levels is wrong.
One of my other issues with the film is the very aspect it’s receiving attention for: the makeup artistry. I can’t overlook the startling transformation of Charlize Theron into Megyn Kelly, however the facial prosthetics and hairline alteration permit her only the one deadpan expression throughout the entire film. The makeup mishaps ultimately hinder the actress’s capability to give a formidable performance worthy of a Best Actress Oscar nomination. As a fan of Nicole Kidman’s work, I was disappointed in her performance as I felt like I was watching Kidman playing herself instead of an established news anchor. Perhaps this role wasn’t much of a challenge in comparison to her usual method roles. Fortunately Margot Robbie saves the film from being a disaster with her excellent turn as fictionalised producer Kayla Pospisil. Robbie shines with her wide-eyed, earnest ambition, which is swiftly turned on its head in her first meeting with Ailes during which she is ordered to show her underwear. Robbie showcases some of her best acting here, her silent anguish and struggle to conceal her tears as she fumbles with her skirt are excruciating to watch. What’s very clever about this scene is how it manages to avoid sexualising her for anyone’s pleasure.
‘Bombshell’ very much reminded me of ‘I, Tonya’, the mockumentary that followed ice dancer Tonya Harding’s fall from public grace, in the sense that there were moments I didn’t know how I was supposed to react to the film, which is largely due to the darkly comic tone. The occasional fourth wall breaking works in a counterintuitive way, for it distracts us from the film’s serious subject matter and message to women everywhere. On a positive note, ‘Bombshell’ has a polished, glossy aesthetic that aligns with the pressures for women on the air to look perfect, and in Roger Ailes’ eyes, to always be ‘likeable’. I enjoyed the sub-focus on double standards between how men and women are viewed, in particular Gretchen calling out resolute women being unfairly labelled hard work and difficult. On the whole, Jay Roach delivers a watchable drama on a timely topic thanks to the conviction of its power trio, even if the headline isn’t quite there.
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