Scandale

July 2016. Gretchen Carlson was once one of the most popular presenters on Fox News but now has been relegated to minor timeslot. She is considering suing Fox News CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment and when she is let go by Fox, she does so. She tries to get other women to come forward but gains little traction. Megyn Kelly, another Fox reporter, has her own secrets regarding Ailes but is not sure whether she should come forward. Kayla, a junior reporter, has more recent experiences of the matter.

I set my expectations quite low, figuring it was just going to be a left-wing hatchet job. Not that that I'm a supporter of Fox News, far from it. (I hate every media organisation equally. That's my kind of fair and balanced). No, it just would have been too one-dimensional and predictable.

To my surprise, director Jay Roach has crafted a reasonably balanced view of the Gretchen Karlson-Roger Ailes saga. His past credits would have given an indication of his ability to tackle a politically-charged subject and yet present it an even-handed fashion and engage a wide audience. He directed Recount (2008), covering the 2000 US election, Game Change (2012), covering the Vice Presidential candidacy of Sarah Palin, Trumbo (2015), the biopic on the blacklisted McCarthy-era writer and All the Way (2016), covering President Lyndon Johnson's struggles to have the Civil Rights Act passed. All of these are excellent films.

Once again Roach takes us on an engaging, evolving journey without becoming too biased in the process. In the beginning Ailes is even painted in a reasonably non-negative light, as a tough but fair, hugely successful, businessman who stands by his employees. Starting from a position of neutrality means you don't have any biases as the plot develops.

Roach's deft direction is helped by a star-studded cast that delivers in spades. Great work from Charlize Theron (as Megyn Kelly), Nicole Kidman (as Gretchen Carlson), Margot Robbie (as Kayla) and John Lithgow (as Roger Ailes) in the main roles. Theron got a Best Actress Oscar nomination and Robbie a Best Supporting Actress nomination for their efforts. The remaining cast, which includes Alison Janney, Malcolm McDowell (as Rupert Murdoch), Connie Britton and Stephen Root, don't put a foot wrong.

I was extremely interested in watching this film. Fox News is a circus at times but I really wanted to see a portrayal of the incidents surrounding sexual harassment and Roger Ailes. I also thought the three leads involved are really great castings and wanted to see how two of them portrayed Gretchen Carlson and Megyn Kelly. The film touches on important matters that has recently come to the light in droves, however the film doesn't always reach its potential although I did enjoy the film for the most part.

The film is based on the story of the accounts of women who worked at Fox News and the allegations that came out against Fox News CEO, Roger Ailes. A movement that is led by seasoned television host Gretchen Carlson, after her firing from the company. She is soon joined by other women including Megyn Kelly. The film has a really great cast including Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie, Charlize Theron, and John Lithgow. Jay Roach returns after a brief hiatus in film making to bring this effort.

I have to commend the make up department firstly. Theron really looks like Megyn Kelly in this film that at times I feel like its hard to not see Kelly. Same with Kidman as Carlson. The acting delivers on all fronts. Margot Robbie who plays a fictional employee who typifies the type of victim Ailes prayed on, was also very good. I was very interested in the subject matter for this film as its timely and should make for a riveting story. A shocking story based on a wicked truth coming to light; this should be a very worthy film. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite reach that potential.

I feel like the film could go deeper into making a statement although I was fine with what we got. At times it felt like the film was more interested in showing the real life correspondents being portrayed briefly, rather than going in depth into characterization. Not a bad film but feel like it wanted to be more and I also wanted more from it. Not sure its going to make awards buzz outside of Theron and Robbie's performances.

6.5/10

It takes courage to place this true story before the public at this time of the political climate during debates by presidential candidates and retorts from the sitting president who is famous for his association with Fox News. Charles Randolph (The Big Short, and The Life of David Gale) has written a penetrating screenplay about the 2016 explosion when Fox News persona Roger Ailes was finally exposed for sexual harassment by some courageous women. Director Jay Roach (Trumbo, Blown Away, Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery, etc) makes this story come vividly to life, unafraid to insert film clips of Donald Trump's appearances as the case unfolds, as well as including the lesbian relationships that give the story a new grounding.

The story of this Fox News scandal is true, so everyone knows the outline. As one distillation states, 'When Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) slaps Fox News founder Roger Ailes (John Lithgow) with a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment, not a soul could predict what would happen next. Her decision leads to Fox News correspondent Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron) coming forward with her own story, as well as multiple other women, such as Kayla Pospisil (Margot Robbie), inciting a movement that reverberates around the world.'

The cast is outstanding: Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, and Margot Robbie each excel, but the other women in the film - Allison Janney, Connie Britton, Liv Hewson, Kate McKinnon, and Brigette Lundy-Paine - also impress. John Lithgow is very appropriately repugnant as Roger Ailes, as is Malcolm McDowell as Rupert Murdoch, and the clips of Giuliani, Trump et al. The tension never lets up as this scandal is related in fine form. Not only is the film excellent (though some may prefer the Showtime series THE LOUDEST VOICE account of the scandal), but also it offers award winning quality performances that allow the actors to step into different territories.

Quite a complex story which highlights the difficulty of a class-action lawsuit. The need to get others to go public before she did was Megyn Kelly's Achilles heel - she didn't have the guts to go first. Gretchen Carlson was the real hero and Roger Ailes endless and bullish denial was typical.

The financial settlement for him exceeded the victims which is the true bombshell here.

I really don't know how I feel about this film. The story itself was absolutely scandalous and I am very glad that there was a movie made about it as it's crazy how stuff like that can happen and people get away with it scot free. But as much as I like the story a lot of the movie felt kind of weak.

Like for a story about empowering woman it's extremely clear it's not made by a woman. A lot of the dialogue is poorly written and makes no sense. That being said the performances were quite good and the actresses did really well with how poor they got. It was good but it could have been much better. 6/10.