Scandale

Despite a couple of Oscar nominations for acting, "Bombshell" was greeted pretty indifferently by audiences and critics alike when it came out last year. Perhaps it was due to my low expectations, then, but I was surprised by how much I liked this movie. It's slick and glib and fairly superficial, but it's extremely watchable and very entertaining, and the acting is indeed exceptional. Charlize Theron and Margot Robbie were singled out for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress nominations, respectively. But I was as impressed with Nicole Kidman and John Lithgow.

In this tale of women coming out against sexual harassment, "Bombshell" conveniently sidesteps the fact that these particular women were contributing to an atmosphere of male toxicity by peddling Fox News' message in the first place. But to address that would have been to make the entire screenplay more complex, and it would have interfered with the filmmakers' wish to portray these women as unequivocal heroes of the MeToo Movement.

The makeup crew for this film worked over time to transform attractive Hollywood actors and actresses into already attractive people like Megyn Kelly and Gretchen Carlson, and not so attractive people like Roger Ailes and a spot-on Bill O'Reilly, and won an Oscar for their efforts.

Grade: B+

Excellent acting and makeup transformed actors to real life people they portrayed. Interesting take on the fox news scandal. Mix of movie made news with real news was awesome.

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

I won't write too much because it doesn't seem to me that anyone is reviewing this film. If you're right wing, you don't like it and will condemn any review that compliments it, and vice versa.

I thought the acting was terrific but I have to agree with one reviewer here, the real story was about Gretchen Carlson, and there was less emphasis on her and more on Megyn Kelly. Carlson is the one who really put herself out there.

I haven't seen the film others are comparing this to, "The Loudest Voice," but I would be interested in seeing it.