Elijah_T

"Do you really wanna know?"

This is a movie for allies and females in general. Like Hustlers (2019), but in a whole'nother way, I feel like it needs to be watched. Partially because of how interesting it is and mostly because of how important it is. Bombshell does a great job of balancing many topics focusing on a central theme-women's issues in the workplace. Most are smoothly handled over time (like warming up buttered bread) while others are blatantly laid out (like deep frying meat) as if to avoid anyone missing the point of it all. But like any fry cook can tell you, dat meat gon' come out just right.

While the 4th wall breaking presentation of matters effectively (and damn near stylishly) blurred the line of documentary and drama/thriller, I must say it worked well, especially with how long the movie went without.

The reason why I say this is for allies is partially because of the reviews I read on Letterboxd beforehand and mostly because a female I saw the movie with called its entirety "nothing new."

(significantly easier to read on my blog)

Things I Like:

1) Dem cosmetics

2) How uncomfortable a certain scene made me

3) When she confides

4) When he allies

5) How I started seriously questioning what was going on in that building

6) When the justifications begin

7) When things get partisan

8) When they reveal

9) Da vending machine scene

Things I Love:

1) When he tells it like it is

2) How unnoticeably silent dat score is (until it isn't)

3) How many secrets are revealed/insinuated through body language

4) When she tells it like it is

Notable Things:

1) Her crew

2) Les silent eyes of the standing suits

3) Da looks

4) When they pull out the walker

5) Why she can't get a job

6) How Jobs Matter™ started squeezing in

7) La Black Room

8) Everything about dat end scene (bruh)

Favorite Line:

"I thrive in toxic environments."

Favorite Character:

The lesbian liberal. For her self and the things she got across.

Comment:

There's something very depressing and "somewhat" infuriating about the thought of this kind of crap being common in the workplace. Instead of getting too controversial, I'mma just say one thing. If you treat people poorly enough long enough, it's only just for it to bite you in some way. The unfortunate part is that bystanders will probably get caught in the crossfire.

Question:

I'm wondering. Would this story be atleast moderately different if the perspectives weren't of European descent? This question comes to mind because of two things:

1) A conversation I had with a sista during a group discussion about This Changes Everything (2018). She explained to me that the documentary was mostly about "White women."

2) Queering the Script's (2019) conversations on the lack of non-European-American LGBTQ+ representation in television and web series. This topic was also briefly brought up during the post-Q&A with Stephanie Ouaknine (producer). For some reason, almost no one wanted to be on record saying why it was the case.

Disclosure:

I attended the 30min cast Q&A "The Conversation - Live Simulcast Q&A with Charlize Theron & John Lithgow" immediately before seeing the movie, so I appreciated the portrayals and cosmetics far more than I probably would have otherwise.

Also, as previously mentioned, I watched and discussed the movie with a female.

Mini Review:

Well, this is an odd one. I'm digging the track's way of speaking for the film with its harshness and... anticipatoriness. Visually, it was a tee shocking, a bit uncomfortable, and then just funny. Couldn't help but put myself in the characters' shoes throughout it. You'll see why if you watch it. Totally a dude movie, but not in the way one might expect. NSFW, btw.

(significantly easier to read on my blog)

Director's Statement:

"The framing of traditionally macho scenarios in a homoerotic context takes its cues from the covert porn of Bob Mizer. With his films in mind, I wanted to make something arousing that could be disguised as a morality tale about the impudence of 'manspreading' in locker rooms. The combination of muscle and beat-up lockers somehow evoked the music in my mind." -Peter Strickland (La Biennale di Venezia)

Comment:

I've never heard the director's use of the term "manspreading", so that was interesting to see portrayed on-screen. I think I'd just call it trying/punking someone or testing their boundaries. 'Eh, it's blatantly disrespectful as portrayed here regardless.

About the Director:

The dude directed The Duke of Burgundy (2014), In Fabric (2018), and a short in The Field Guide to Evil (2018). The first of which I've been planning to watch (at some point) because one of my movie peeps loves it so much. The second I was gonna watch instead of The Lighthouse (2019) during their last week in theatres because it seems my cup of tea and so few people have seen in in comparison to the latter. I chose rest instead. The third I'm interested in overall and could've seen at the Alamo Drafthouse last year but skipped for reasons I don't even recall. I know next to nothing else about him, but everything previously stated is all I need to know to keep looking forward to his work.

A quiet series of seamless long takes and tracking shots of a couple's unhealthy relationship and state in life. This is a hell of a character-driven film to just watch alone. A lot is said without words, though, so there's quite a bit to take in from (probably) every scene. By the end, I felt like I knew the two characters on a deeper level than expected.

(significantly easier to read on my blog)

Things I Like:

1) Da tension

2) How both partners are hiding things

3) Da cinematography

4) Dat sex scene

5) Da hug

6) How much sense the opening scene makes by the end

7) The end credits songs

Side Notes:

There's a scene in which something is casually revealed to the audience. All I'll say about it is that I played it back after it ended and was left wondering how common it is.

The last third of this film is a trip, and I don't get the ending.

To my surprise, it's on Amazon Prime (sub). Again, totally not sponsoring anybody. Just happened to notice while going through my process.

Slight Spoilers From Here On:

Honestly, I feel bad for him. She seems to have some degree of issues that a therapist could help resolve while he has problems and no one to hold him.

Considering what happens with the one who helped her after the incident and bothered to wait for her to finish, I'm going to conclude that she's the type of person that simply cannot be in a healthy relationship for whatever reason (relevant School of Life: "Why Nice People Are Scary").

This film has one of the best sex scenes I've seen. Fully captured. Unapologetic. And with a degree of realism. Dat aftermath, tho. 👌

Favorite Line:

"I'll try to change."