Bombshell (2019 Film)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Bombshell'' is a 2019
drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...
film directed by
Jay Roach Mathew Jay Roach (born June 14, 1957) is an American filmmaker. He is best known for directing the ''Austin Powers'' film series, '' Meet the Parents'', '' Dinner for Schmucks'', '' The Campaign'', '' Trumbo'', and '' Bombshell''. Roach also e ...
and written by
Charles Randolph Charles Randolph is an American screenwriter and producer for film and television. In 2015, he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay along with Adam McKay for co-writing ''The Big Short''. In 2019, he wrote and produced the film '' ...
. The film stars
Charlize Theron Charlize Theron ( ; ; born 7 August 1975) is a South African and American actress and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actresses, she is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. In 20 ...
,
Nicole Kidman Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an American and Australian actress and producer. Known for her work across various film and television productions from several genres, she has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid act ...
, and
Margot Robbie Margot Elise Robbie (; born 2 July 1990) is an Australian actress and producer. Known for her work in both blockbuster and independent films, she has received several accolades, including nominations for two Academy Awards, four Golden Glob ...
, and is based upon the accounts of the women at
Fox News The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is o ...
who set out to expose CEO Roger Ailes for
sexual harassment Sexual harassment is a type of harassment involving the use of explicit or implicit sexual overtones, including the unwelcome and inappropriate promises of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. Sexual harassment includes a range of actions fr ...
.
John Lithgow John Arthur Lithgow ( ; born , 1945) is an American actor. Lithgow studied at Harvard University and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before becoming known for his work on the stage and screen. He has been the recipient of numerous ...
, Kate McKinnon, Connie Britton,
Malcolm McDowell Malcolm McDowell (born Malcolm John Taylor; 13 June 1943) is a British actor, producer, and television presenter. He is best known for portraying Alex DeLarge in ''A Clockwork Orange.'' He was born in the Horsforth suburb of Leeds and raised i ...
, and Allison Janney appear in supporting roles. The project was first announced in May 2017 following Ailes's death, with Roach confirmed as director the following year. Much of the cast joined that summer and filming began in October 2018 in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
. It entered into a
limited release __FORCETOC__ Limited theatrical release is a film distribution strategy of releasing a new film in a few theaters across a country, typically art house theaters in major metropolitan markets. Since 1994, a limited theatrical release in the Unit ...
in the United States on December 13, 2019, before a
wide release In the American motion picture industry, a wide release (short for nationwide release) is a film playing at the same time at cinemas in most markets across the country. This is in contrast to the formerly common practice of a roadshow theatrical r ...
on December 20, by
Lionsgate Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation, doing business as Lionsgate, is a Canadian-American entertainment company. It was formed by Frank Giustra on July 10, 1997, domiciled in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and is currently headquartered ...
. ''Bombshell''s box office results were seen as disappointing but the film received mostly favorable reviews, praising its acting as well as its choices of makeup and hair but some criticizing the screenplay and inaccuracies. At the 92nd Academy Awards, it earned three nominations: Best Actress (Theron), Best Supporting Actress (Robbie), and Best Makeup and Hairstyling, winning the latter. The film also received two nominations at the
77th Golden Globe Awards The 77th Golden Globe Awards honored the best in film and American television of 2019, as chosen by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Produced by Dick Clark Productions and the HFPA, the ceremony was broadcast live on January 5, 2020, fro ...
(for Theron and Robbie), four at the
26th Screen Actors Guild Awards The 26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, honoring the best achievements in film and television performances for the year 2019, were presented on January 19, 2020 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. The ceremony was broadcast l ...
(Theron, Robbie, and Kidman, as well as Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture) and three at the
73rd British Academy Film Awards The 73rd British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFAs (or BAFTAs), were held on 2 February 2020 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, honouring the best national and foreign films of 2019. Presented by the British Academy of Film ...
(Theron, Robbie, and Best Makeup and Hair). The theme song, "One Little Soldier", performed by
Regina Spektor Regina Ilyinichna Spektor (russian: Регинa Ильинична Спектор, ; born February 18, 1980) is a Russian–born American singer, songwriter, and pianist. After self-releasing her first three records and gaining popularity in ...
, won the 2020 "Best Song Written or Recorded for a Film" from the
Guild of Music Supervisors Awards The Guild of Music Supervisors Awards recognize music supervisors in 14 categories, representing movies, television, games and trailers. '' Compton'', '' Carol'' and '' Furious 7'' were among the winners of the 2016 ceremony, while '' La La Land'' ...
.


Plot

After co-moderating the 2016 Republican debate,
Megyn Kelly Megyn Marie Kelly (; born November 18, 1970) is an American journalist and media personality. She currently hosts a talk show and podcast, ''The Megyn Kelly Show'', that airs live daily on SiriusXM. She was a talk show host at Fox News from 200 ...
faces numerous insults from
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
, who is upset because she asked him about his offensive comments toward women. Under pressure from the network, and after receiving death threats and unwanted paparazzi attention, Kelly eventually reconciles with Trump. Meanwhile,
Gretchen Carlson Gretchen Elizabeth Carlson (born June 21, 1966) is an American broadcast journalist, author, and television personality. Carlson appeared as the host of numerous television programs, most notably on the Saturday edition of ''The Early Show'' on ...
is removed as co-anchor of the popular ''
Fox and Friends ''Fox & Friends'' is an American daily morning news and talk program that airs on Fox News. It premiered on February 1, 1998, and is currently hosted by Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt and Brian Kilmeade on weekdays. Will Cain, Rachel Campos-Du ...
'' show, and is transferred to a less popular show. Inundated by sexist comments on and off the air, including by Roger Ailes, Carlson meets with lawyers, Nancy Smith and Neil Mullin, who explain that Carlson's contract prevents her from suing the network, but she can sue Ailes personally. On her first day on ''
The O'Reilly Factor ''The O'Reilly Factor'' (originally titled ''The O'Reilly Report'' and also known as ''The Factor'') is an American cable television news and talk show. ''The O'Reilly Factor'' first aired in the United States on Fox News Channel on October 7 ...
'', Kayla Pospisil meets fellow female staffer Jess Carr, and the two sleep together. The next day, Ailes begins sexually harassing Pospisil. Pospisil begins to tell Carr about what happened, but Carr interrupts, saying she cannot get involved. Carlson is later fired, ostensibly for her on-air support of the federal assault weapons ban, and decides to sue Ailes. When the news breaks the next day, Ailes denies the allegations and Kelly admits to her core team Ailes sexually harassed her when she started at Fox. In the following weeks, despite a number of other women voicing their public support against Ailes, Kelly conspicuously refuses to make a comment on Carlson's accusations. Fox News retains the Paul Weiss firm to conduct an internal investigation. After more women accuse Ailes, Kelly starts to find other women at the network. Kelly visits Pospisil, and the two confide in each other. Kelly advises Pospisil to come forward, and after consulting with Carr, she does. Through her attorneys, Carlson later informs Ailes she has recorded conversations to support her claims, deliberately withholding them from Ailes’s lawyers in order to undermine his credibility. Defeated, Ailes is fired by Fox co-creator
Rupert Murdoch Keith Rupert Murdoch ( ; born 11 March 1931) is an Australian-born American business magnate. Through his company News Corp, he is the owner of hundreds of local, national, and international publishing outlets around the world, including ...
. Ailes settles Carlson's lawsuit for $20 million and an apology from Fox, but the agreement contains a
non-disclosure agreement A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is a legal contract or part of a contract between at least two parties that outlines confidential material, knowledge, or information that the parties wish to share with one another for certain purposes, but wish ...
. Fox eventually paid the victims of sexual harassment $50 million, while paying Ailes and O'Reilly $65 million in severance.


Cast


Production


Development

On May 18, 2017, shortly after the death of Fox News founder Roger Ailes, it was announced that
Annapurna Pictures Annapurna Pictures is an independent American media company founded by Megan Ellison in 2011, that specializes in film production, live theatre production, television through its Annapurna Television division, and video game publishing through i ...
was in the early stages of developing a film centered on the allegations made against Ailes by female employees, including Megyn Kelly and Gretchen Carlson.
Charles Randolph Charles Randolph is an American screenwriter and producer for film and television. In 2015, he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay along with Adam McKay for co-writing ''The Big Short''. In 2019, he wrote and produced the film '' ...
was expected to write the film's screenplay. On May 22, 2018, it was announced that
Jay Roach Mathew Jay Roach (born June 14, 1957) is an American filmmaker. He is best known for directing the ''Austin Powers'' film series, '' Meet the Parents'', '' Dinner for Schmucks'', '' The Campaign'', '' Trumbo'', and '' Bombshell''. Roach also e ...
had been hired to direct the film. On August 1, 2018, it was announced that Roach, Randolph, Beth Kono, AJ Dix, and Margaret Riley would act as the film's producers and that
Denver and Delilah Productions Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the United ...
would serve as the film's production company. On October 9, 2018, it was announced that Annapurna Pictures had dropped out of producing the film, reportedly due to concerns over the film's growing budget. At the time of the announcement, it was confirmed that Bron Studios was staying on and that producers were looking at
Focus Features Focus Features LLC is an American film production and distribution company, owned by Comcast as part of Universal Pictures, a division of its wholly owned subsidiary NBCUniversal. Focus Features distributes independent and foreign films in th ...
,
Participant Media Participant Media, LLC is an American Film industry, film production company founded in 2004 by Jeffrey Skoll, dedicated to entertainment intended to spur social change. The company finances and co-produces film and television content, as well as ...
, and
Amblin Entertainment Amblin Entertainment, Inc., formerly named Amblin Productions and Steven Spielberg Productions, is an American film production company founded by director and producer Steven Spielberg, and film producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshal ...
to help finance the film. The following week,
Lionsgate Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation, doing business as Lionsgate, is a Canadian-American entertainment company. It was formed by Frank Giustra on July 10, 1997, domiciled in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and is currently headquartered ...
began negotiating to join the production after Focus Features and Amblin Entertainment passed on the project. By the end of the month, Lionsgate was reported to be closing a deal to distribute the film. In December 2018, it was reported that Theodore Shapiro would compose the film's score and that Barry Ackroyd would serve as the film's cinematographer. The film was given the working title ''Fair and Balanced'', before being announced as ''Bombshell'' in August 2019. Kelly later stated that she had no involvement with the film.


Casting

Alongside the directing and writing announcements, it was reported that
Charlize Theron Charlize Theron ( ; ; born 7 August 1975) is a South African and American actress and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actresses, she is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. In 20 ...
had entered negotiations to portray Kelly in the film. On August 1, 2018, it was reported that
Nicole Kidman Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an American and Australian actress and producer. Known for her work across various film and television productions from several genres, she has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid act ...
had begun negotiations to star as Carlson and that
Margot Robbie Margot Elise Robbie (; born 2 July 1990) is an Australian actress and producer. Known for her work in both blockbuster and independent films, she has received several accolades, including nominations for two Academy Awards, four Golden Glob ...
was in talks to play a
composite Composite or compositing may refer to: Materials * Composite material, a material that is made from several different substances ** Metal matrix composite, composed of metal and other parts ** Cermet, a composite of ceramic and metallic materials ...
associate producer at the network, with Theron confirmed to star. Later that month, it was announced that
John Lithgow John Arthur Lithgow ( ; born , 1945) is an American actor. Lithgow studied at Harvard University and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before becoming known for his work on the stage and screen. He has been the recipient of numerous ...
had been cast as Roger Ailes. In September 2018, it was reported that Allison Janney had been cast as lawyer Susan Estrich and that Kate McKinnon had been cast to play a fictional producer. In October 2018, it was announced that
Malcolm McDowell Malcolm McDowell (born Malcolm John Taylor; 13 June 1943) is a British actor, producer, and television presenter. He is best known for portraying Alex DeLarge in ''A Clockwork Orange.'' He was born in the Horsforth suburb of Leeds and raised i ...
,
Mark Duplass Mark David Duplass (born December 7, 1976) is an American filmmaker, actor, writer, and musician. With his brother Jay Duplass, he started the film production company Duplass Brothers Productions in 1996. Duplass has written and directed films, ...
, and
Alice Eve Alice Sophia Eve (born ) is a British actress. Her movie career includes roles in ''She's Out of My League'', ''Men in Black 3'', ''Star Trek Into Darkness'', and '' Before We Go''. She has had recurring roles on the TV series ''Entourage'' and ...
had been cast as Rupert Murdoch, Douglas Brunt, and
Ainsley Earhardt Ainsley Earhardt (born September 20, 1976) is an American conservative television news journalist and author. She is a co-host of ''Fox & Friends.'' Early life and education Born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Earhardt as a young child moved w ...
, respectively. In November 2018, it was reported that
Brigette Lundy-Paine Brigette Lundy-Paine (born August 10, 1994) is an American actor. They first came to prominence for portraying Casey Gardner on all four seasons of the Netflix comedy-drama ''Atypical'' (2017–2021). In 2020, Lundy-Paine achieved further recog ...
and
Liv Hewson Liv Hewson (born 29 November 1995) is an Australian actor and playwright. Their written work includes "lots of re-imaginings of fairytales and mythology with a queer and dark slant." They starred as Abby Hammond in the Netflix series ''Santa Cla ...
had been cast as two fictional characters and that
Alanna Ubach Alanna Ubach (born October 3, 1975) is an American actress, known for her roles as Serena McGuire in ''Legally Blonde'' (2001) & ''Legally Blonde 2'' (2003), Isabel Villalobos in '' Meet the Fockers'' (2004), Maria in '' Sister Act 2: Back in th ...
,
Elisabeth Röhm Elisabeth Röhm (, ; born April 28, 1973) is a German-American television and film actress. She is best known for playing Kate Lockley in the television series ''Angel'' from 1999 to 2001 and Serena Southerlyn in the television series ''Law & O ...
,
Spencer Garrett Spencer Garrett (born September 19, 1963) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in the films '' Air Force One'' (1997), '' 21'' (2008), '' Public Enemies'' (2009), ''All the Way'' (2016), and '' The Front Runner'' (2018). He is th ...
, Connie Britton,
Ashley Greene Ashley Michele Greene Khoury (born February 21, 1987) is an American actress. She is known for playing Alice Cullen in the film adaptations of Stephenie Meyer's ''Twilight'' novels. Early life Greene was born on February 21, 1987, in Jack ...
, Brooke Smith, Michael Buie,
Nazanin Boniadi Nazanin Boniadi (; fa, نازنین بنیادی, ; born 22 May 1980) is an Iranian-British actress and activist. Born in Tehran and raised in London, she went to university in the United States, where she landed her first major acting role as ...
, and
Bree Condon Bree Condon is an American fashion model and actress. Early life Bree Condon was adopted on July 7, 1986 and grew up in Newport Beach, California. She has 13 siblings, of whom 11 are adopted from all over the world. She graduated from Corona ...
had been cast as
Jeanine Pirro Jeanine Ferris Pirro (born June 2, 1951) is an American television host, author, and a former New York (state), New York State judge, prosecutor, and politician. Pirro was the host of Fox News Channel's ''Justice with Judge Jeanine'' until 2022 ...
,
Martha MacCallum Martha Bowes MacCallum (born January 31, 1964) is an American news host for Fox News. She is the host of ''The Story with Martha MacCallum'', broadcast from Manhattan. MacCallum joined the network in 2004. Her interviews with President Barack Ob ...
,
Sean Hannity Sean Patrick Hannity (born December 30, 1961) is an American talk show host, conservative political commentator, and author. He is the host of ''The Sean Hannity Show'', a nationally syndicated talk radio show, and has also hosted a commentar ...
, Beth Ailes,
Abby Huntsman Abigail Haight Huntsman (born May 1, 1986) is an American journalist and television personality. The daughter of former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. and Mary Kaye Huntsman, Huntsman rose to prominence as a host on MSNBC and NBC News. She then ...
, Irena Brigante,
Bret Baier William Bret Baier ( ; born August 4, 1970) is the host of ''Special Report with Bret Baier'' on the Fox News Channel and the chief political correspondent for Fox. He previously worked as the network's Chief White House Correspondent and Pent ...
, Rudi Bakhtiar, and
Kimberly Guilfoyle Kimberly Ann Guilfoyle ( ; born March 9, 1969) is an American television news personality and former prosecuting attorney in San Francisco. A Republican, she became an advisor to the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump. Guilfoyle ...
, respectively. In December 2018, it was announced that
Rob Delaney Rob Delaney (born January 19, 1977) is an American comedian, actor, writer, and activist. He was the co-star and co-writer of the TV show ''Catastrophe'', and has appeared in comedy films such as ''Deadpool 2'' (2018) and ''Tom & Jerry'' (2021). ...
had joined the cast of the film in an undisclosed role and that
Ahna O'Reilly Ahna O'Reilly is an American actress. She is best known for her role in the film ''The Help'' (2011). Career O'Reilly began her acting career in 2003 in the film, ''Bill the Intern''. She has appeared in several other movies like ''Dinocroc'', ' ...
had been cast as Julie Roginsky. In June 2019,
Robin Weigert Robin Weigert (born July 7, 1969) is an American television and film actress. She is best known for portraying Calamity Jane on the television series '' Deadwood'' (2004–2006), for which she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award f ...
announced she had joined the cast of the film.


Filming

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as actor ...
for the film began on October 22, 2018, in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
,
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
.


Release

The film was scheduled for release on December 20, 2019. However, it was pushed up to December 13, 2019, in a
limited release __FORCETOC__ Limited theatrical release is a film distribution strategy of releasing a new film in a few theaters across a country, typically art house theaters in major metropolitan markets. Since 1994, a limited theatrical release in the Unit ...
, opening wide on December 20.


Reception


Box office

''Bombshell'' grossed $31.8 million in the United States and Canada, and $29.6 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $61.4 million. In its limited opening weekend the film made $312,100 from four theaters for a per-venue average of $78,025, the fifth best of 2019. The film went wide at 1,480 theaters the following weekend and, despite being projected to gross around $10 million, finished sixth with $5.1 million. The audience was 58% female, with 60% being between 18 and 34 years old. The following weekend the film made $4.7 million (a total of $8.3 million over the five-day Christmas frame), falling to ninth. The film's box office results were seen as a disappointment, with '' The Hill'' saying that the presence of other projects about Ailes, such as the documentary ''Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes'' and the Showtime series ''
The Loudest Voice ''The Loudest Voice'' is a 2019 American drama television miniseries depicting Roger Ailes as he creates and guides the rise of Fox News. It is based on the 2014 book '' The Loudest Voice in the Room'', by Gabriel Sherman, and premiered June 30, ...
'', had lowered the demand for a film on the subject. ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...
'' also noted that audiences likely do not want to "shell out movie theater money and time to watch a film about women being treated terribly by powerful men... especially (generally speaking) women".


Critical response

On
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
the film has an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average rating of . The website's critics consensus reads: "''Bombshell'' benefits from a terrific cast and a worthy subject, but its impact is muffled by a frustrating inability to go deeper than the sensationalistic surface." On
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, the film has a weighted average score of 64 out of 100, based on reviews from 46 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews." Audiences polled by
PostTrak PostTrak is a U.S.-based service that surveys film audiences for film studios. History The service conducts surveys in the top 20 markets in the U.S. and Canada with the use of polling cards and electronic kiosks. A PostTrak report for a film ...
gave the film an average 4 out of 5 stars, with 70% saying they would definitely recommend it. ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
''s
Owen Gleiberman Owen Gleiberman (born February 24, 1959) is an American film critic who has been chief film critic for ''Variety'' magazine since May 2016, a title he shares with . Previously, Gleiberman wrote for ''Entertainment Weekly'' from 1990 until 2014. ...
gave the film a positive review and wrote: "''Bombshell'' is a scalding and powerful movie about what selling, in America, has become. The film is about selling sex, selling a candidate, selling yourself, selling the truth. And about how at Fox News all those things came together."
Todd McCarthy Todd McCarthy (born February 16, 1950) is an American film critic and author. He wrote for ''Variety'' for 31 years as its chief film critic until 2010. In October of that year, he joined ''The Hollywood Reporter'', where he subsequently served ...
of ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' wrote: "The actors throw themselves into their roles with terrific zeal, enlivened by the often blunt dialogue and the issues at stake."
Kevin Maher Kevin Andrew Maher (born 17 October 1976) is a former professional footballer and coach who played as a midfielder. He is head coach of National League side Southend United. Born in England, he represented the Republic of Ireland internationall ...
of ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' gave the film 4/5 stars, describing it as "a timely satirical takedown that finds black humour and absurdist comedy in the subject of workplace sexual harassment while never losing sight of its devastating repercussions." Ann Hornaday of ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' gave the film 3/4 stars, calling it "an absorbing, well-crafted chronicle of the sexual harassment accusations that forced Fox News founding CEO Roger Ailes to resign in disgrace." Moira Macdonald of ''
The Seattle Times ''The Seattle Times'' is a daily newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded in 1891 and has been owned by the Blethen family since 1896. ''The Seattle Times'' has the largest circulation of any newspaper in Washington (s ...
'' gave the film 2/4 stars, writing that it "went wrong"; much of it due to Charles Randolph's "cutesy screenplay ... which unfolds at a cartoony pace more suitable to a dark comedy." Simran Hans of ''
The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the w ...
'' gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "What happened to these women is appalling; that the film takes such pains to sand down the politics of its central characters to make them more sympathetic undermines its entire thesis. Kelly’s
racist Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism ...
attitudes are smoothed over, while Carlson's
homophobia Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitude (psychology), attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who are identified or perceived as being lesbian, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, h ...
is conveniently erased." Hans goes on to argue that the film would have been more complete had it engaged with the "tension" between its protagonists' dual roles as perpetuators of sexism themselves, owing to their status as conservative icons, and also as women harmed by a deeply sexist organization. Hans contends that by presenting the protagonists simply as sympathetic characters the film fails to make sufficient criticism of these women and their role as cogs in an organization which espouses rightwing ideology. Linda Holmes of
NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
wrote: "It has a few strong moments, mostly courtesy of Robbie, but it's both underwhelming and overworked, inelegantly structured and missing something fundamental at the core."
Joe Morgenstern Joe Morgenstern (born October 3, 1932) is an American writer and retired film critic. He wrote for ''Newsweek'' from 1965 to 1983, and then for ''The Wall Street Journal'' from 1995 to 2022. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 2005. Morgen ...
of ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' said that the film was "a movie with a compelling story to tell turns into a blunt-force
polemic Polemic () is contentious rhetoric intended to support a specific position by forthright claims and to undermine the opposing position. The practice of such argumentation is called ''polemics'', which are seen in arguments on controversial topics ...
that can't stop hammering its message home."


Reactions from the depicted

In January 2020, Kelly posted a 30-minute video on her
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
channel of a roundtable discussion, including her, Huddy, Bakhtiar, Brunt and former Fox News producer Julie Zann and their reactions and opinions after viewing a screening of the film. The panel confirmed many details depicted, including having to do the "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". Kelly took particular issue with the scene where Robbie's character blames Kelly for not speaking up, calling the scene
victim blaming Victim blaming occurs when the victim of a crime or any wrongful act is held entirely or partially at fault for the harm that befell them. There is historical and current prejudice against the victims of domestic violence and sex crimes, such as ...
and noting that the scene was "written by a man"; however, she also noted that the scene belongs in the film as a reminder to herself that she could have done more to help other victims. She also felt the film "took liberties" with her story and specifically denied that she told Murdoch the question she was going to ask
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
in advance of the debate or that Ailes liked the question. "The notion that Roger liked the Donald Trump 'woman' question because it created controversy and a TV moment was not true. Roger did not like the question — at all — and was very angry at me for asking it. At one point eactually said to me, 'No more female empowerment stuff!'."


Accolades


See also

*
New Yorkers in journalism New York City has been called the media capital of the world. Many journalists work in Manhattan, reporting about international, American, business, entertainment, and New York metropolitan area-related matters. New Yorkers in journalism A * ...
* ''
The Loudest Voice ''The Loudest Voice'' is a 2019 American drama television miniseries depicting Roger Ailes as he creates and guides the rise of Fox News. It is based on the 2014 book '' The Loudest Voice in the Room'', by Gabriel Sherman, and premiered June 30, ...
'' (2019) – A miniseries based on the life of Roger Ailes, which also depicts the events leading up to his departure from
Fox News The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is o ...
.


References


External links

* * {{Jay Roach 2019 films 2019 drama films 2019 biographical drama films 2010s feminist films 2019 LGBT-related films American biographical drama films American LGBT-related films Canadian biographical drama films Canadian LGBT-related films Drama films based on actual events Biographical films about journalists Cultural depictions of Rupert Murdoch Cultural depictions of Donald Trump Films about lawsuits Films about sexual harassment Films about television people Works about Fox News Films directed by Jay Roach Films produced by Charlize Theron Films scored by Theodore Shapiro Lesbian-related films LGBT-related drama films LGBT-related films based on actual events Films set in 2015 Films set in 2016 Films set in New York City Films shot in Los Angeles Films that won the Academy Award for Best Makeup BAFTA winners (films) Lionsgate films Annapurna Pictures films Bron Studios films 2010s English-language films 2010s American films 2010s Canadian films Films about companies