Bombshell (I) (2019) User Reviews

A powerful and enjoyable film

[olivewahh · 8/10 · 16 January 2020]

I didn't know much on this story when it all happened, possibly cause I'm based in Australia and it was an American scandal, but the whole story is so powerful and should be shared across the globe.

When Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) is let go from her job at Fox News, she sues the CEO, Roger Ailes (John Lithgow), for sexual harassment. Going up against a powerful man in a even more powerful company, Gretchen seeks help from other female employees to come forward and speak up and make an end to this man.

I really enjoyed this film, but felt I could've enjoyed it even more if I knew more about the story when it was happening. In saying that, it didn't make the film confusing or bad in any form. It's a powerful story that needs to be shared for how woman can be treated in the workplace and hopefully spreads the message that inappropriate sexual behaviour is never acceptable and should be spoken up about.

Nicole, Charlize and Margot were all so damn good in this film. Three incredible ladies. I would've liked to have seen a bit more on Margot's character, but I then learnt after that her character isn't part of the real life scandal.

This is a great movie to start off the new year.

ACTING AND MAKEUP ON POINT.

[andrewchristianjr · 7/10 · 17 January 2020]

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.

'He's about as flirty as the grizzly from The Revenant'

[gradyharp · 8/10 · 16 March 2020]

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.

An interesting story.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 22 January 2021]

We have been in a.period of change for some time, and it has taken some very brave women to stand up, make a stand and say enough is enough.

I watched this a few days ago, and borrowed it from a friend, who happens to be a feminist, she surprisingly didn't like it, stating that she felt they had added too much to the story to make it a little sensational, thus demeaning the film.

Personally I quite liked it, an interesting, relevant story of course, the acting on the whole was pretty good, I thought Theron was the standout.

It's definitely not a movie I would ever want to watch again, but I thought it was pretty good. 7/10.

Blondies

[zalfunk · 7/10 · 21 January 2022]

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.

story of the takedown of Roger Ailes

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 5 January 2020]

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.

Bombshell (2019)

[rockman182 · 7/10 · 13 December 2019]

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

Surprisingly Entertaining

[evanston_dad · 7/10 · 20 July 2020]

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+

Quality

[ewanfortune · 9/10 · 19 January 2020]

This was a risky film to make. It's taking a sensitive topic and basing the story around true events that happened within the last 5 years, including stuff around Donald Trump. As well as this, the movie isn't strictly drama with a 'Vice' type vibe around it. However, at least in my opinion, they pulled it off. It balances the almost comic feel it has with serious moments and intentionally uncomfortable ones. It's a scathing look inside mega corporations and how sex is sold.

There's very strong performances all round, from Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly and Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson to John Lithgow as Roger Ailes and Margot Robbie as the made up Kayla Pospisil (although the scenarios she's placed in are no doubt based on fact). Perhaps the single most uncomfortable scene in the film involves Kayla as Roger insists she lifts her dress to show him her legs, urging her to go higher and higher as television is a "visual medium." It's the type of scene that would be uncomfortable in and of itself but Robbie portrays Kayla's clear distress masterfully and the feeling is heightened once again when you consider that this sort of stuff has happened in real life to real people. The film also spotlights casual sexism and objectification as the women working for Fox are told to wear short dresses and aren't allowed to wear pants. Most of the 'compliments' they receive are about how sexy they are rather than their skills as a journalist.

As well as a commentary on the sleaziness of higher ups in corporations, it also celebrates the courage shown by people like Carlson who speak up even when they know it could cost them everything. Theron displays her characters inner conflict brilliantly, working up to the stage where she's ready to speak out too. There's tension in the air and the camera-work adds to this with rapid cuts and dramatic zooms throughout.

Bombshell is a great movie standing alone but a movie that also feels relevant in this #MeToo era. It reinforces that the most powerful figures aren't invincible and, though not easily, can be brought down too.

Great Information in a Mediocre Film

[kjproulx · 6/10 · 4 February 2020]

While I wasn't all that familiar with this story that went on behind the scenes at Fox News, I was very intrigued to see a film tackling one of the very first stories of women taking a stand against a powerful man, abusing that power. While this was a great story overall, there are a lot of elements missing here that could've made it a fantastic film. This film feels more like a tool to showcase how corporations have been run in the past, but there wasn't enough depth to really dive in. Filled with great performances and a true story worth exploring, here's why I believe Bombshell is one big missed opportunity.

This film follows a few main characters, but the centrepiece of this story is the fact that Roger Ailes would sexually harass women in order to give them higher positions at Fox News. He did this for years and many of these women kept silent in order to keep their jobs. If this film is accurate, Gretchen Carlson was the first one to speak up and many began to follow her lead. There is a lot of information and many insightful moments that kept my attention, but this film severely suffers from relying on those two things. More than anything, Bombshell wants to get messages out, but the pacing was slow and it felt like I was watching a newspaper article unfold on-screen.

Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly was a show-stopper, Margot Robbie as Kayla Pospisil won me over every single time she was on-screen, and Nicole Kidman committed to her role of Gretchen Carlson to the point that I believed every action she made. The problem is that the material they were working with didn't care about making a masterful piece of cinema. This movie would've worked so much better as a documentary in my opinion. Yes, these performances will absolutely be remembered, but the information I got from this movie is what I will remember it for, rather than the film itself.

This film is being recognized the most for Margot Robbie and Charlie Theron's performances and the Make-Up and Hairstyling awards, which it absolutely should be, but I also feel another positive is the fact that it also has no shame. This film is presented in a way that makes news outlets look like a disaster to work for and I admired that aspect. I enjoyed watching this movie for the most part, but it just felt like it dragged on, which was surprising, seeing as it only clocks in at about 108 minutes.

In the end, Bombshell is well-intentioned but ultimately comes across as an exposé. The performances are all fantastic and the story itself was intriguing enough to hold my attention the whole time, but there wasn't much else to latch onto. While this story deserved some kind of film, I don't believe an adapted narrative was the right decision. Overall, I would say this movie is worth watching, in terms of being informed, but it feels bland otherwise. I wouldn't say this movie deserves your attention, but the story does, however you choose to find out about it. As a whole, it's okay.

WATCH IF YOU LIKE POLITICS

[earthgirl-54214 · 8/10 · 19 December 2019]

This film is quite good, but I think you HAVE to like politics and know Fox News to enjoy it. The best part of this movie are the performances. The way the story is structured seems to lack some coherence, but it almost feels like chaos, which it makes it really feel like a newsroom. The story is based on real events, but the dialogue is made up, so keep that in mind. What I appreciated about the film is how it didn't seem to insult Republicans, rather the toxic culture of the news network. The audience is intended to sympathize with the women. The critique is mainly of Fox News, not conservatism. The tension built around Interactions with Roger Ailes is nauseating. Again, watch it if you know fox and like politics. Otherwise, you're probably not going to enjoy it.

Good and timely

[proud_luddite · 7/10 · 30 May 2020]

Based on a true story: Roger Ailes (John Lithgow) was the head of Fox News beginning in 1996. In 2016, he faced accusations of sexual assault from Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron), Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) and Kayla Pospisil (a composite character played by Margot Robbie).

Director Jay Roach orchestrates an energetic beginning with a very dynamic, fast-moving pace. This early segment reveals the fast pace of the work life in a news organization along with the careerist attitudes that go with it.

The exposure of careerism is fascinating: there is a secondary character (played by Kate McKinnon) who could only get a job at Fox News but had to take it despite being a misfit (secretive about her lesbianism and liberalism). Her Catch-22 is that no other news organization will hire her or take her seriously as she works for Fox News; the film also shows another side to an old cliché about women who acted sexually to advance their careers (I won't repeat the cliché here). In "Bombshell", there is more compassion to those who regretted such decisions and wished there had been a better way to advance.

The solid cast is great while Robbie (so good in "I, Tonya") stands out in a very intense interview scene that gradually turns into a harassment situation. Her face shows so many conflicting emotions including the excitement of career advancement vs. extreme discomfort with what is happening.

Some opportunities are missed including the chance for the main characters to deal with the inner conflict of working for a right-wing organization (one that has derided feminism) vs. taking on the actions and attitudes of traditional feminists. In fact, there is little evidence at all of the right-wing beliefs of the leading women. But "Bombshell" is still a good film whose subject matter and outlook are perfect for our current times in which the consequences of sexual harassment are better understood than they ever have been. - dbamateurcritic

I watched "the loudest voice" just recently and TV show was so mich better than a movie

[dianavart · 5/10 · 21 December 2019]

I found the story very interesting, but I think it was absolutely impossible to fit all the interesting details that actually help you to comprehend the story in 1,5 hours movie. In TV Show "The loudest Voice" you get to live the story through. You actually see what kind of person RA was, especially towards women. For me it was TV show of a year. So, the movie for me felt way too short and way too fast. It's hard to follow and understand what was actually going on. It was like watching on rewind. The acting was fantastic, I think everyone did a great job, but the story was too superficial. Not deep enough for my taste.

Good, and surprisingly so

[grantss · 7/10 · 28 June 2020]

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.

Prepare to be outraged

[Karynsiegmann · 7/10 · 20 January 2020]

Bombshell tells the true story of the women who sued Roger Ailes, head off Fox News, for sexual harassment in the mid 2010s. Charlize Theron and Nicole Kidman are great as the news anchors who decide enough is enough and Margot Robbie is fabulous as the young up and comer who is wrestling with how to deal with Roger Ailes and build her career. The supporting cast is impressive in this timely film. Prepare to be angry and indignant!

power story

[Kirpianuscus · 20 January 2024]

I saw this film for its cast. Ignoring, in some measure, Roger Ailes , because his story, the story of his victims, the circles of his power and the taste of his fall are not so original but only a case, the film reminding this illusory invulnerability of power.

And, indeed, maybe the film , in few points, is just better than the mini series, and the virtue is the fine job of actresses and the science of John Lithgow to proposed the fair portrait of dark Ailes.

A film about a case of harassement, intimidation, friendship ignoring each rule , about blindness and deep imorality, large selfishness .

Well acted at whole.

Decent. Probably Could've Been Better.

[truemythmedia · 6/10 · 30 December 2019]

""Bombshell" has its heart in the right place, I'll give it that. But there's something about this film that doesn't quite strike home for me on quite a few different levels. The directing is only so-so; the pacing is a little weird; the writing is pretty heavy handed (something I already expected going in, but it exceeded my expectations as far as heavy-handedness goes), particularly when it came to dragging Trump into this affair (don't get me wrong, I don't like the guy, but this film went out of its way to continuously include him in the story); and the fictionalized portions of the story, most of which revolve around Kayla (Margot Robbie, "The Wolf of Wall Street") and her in-office, closeted lesbian, friend Jess Carr (Kate McKinnon, "Yesterday"), feel pretty farfetched and silly, and that sort of detracts from the overall message the film is trying to send. At the same time, the true portions of the story were interesting, and I learned a bit; I thought all of the actors did a fine job; and, as I said before, this film's heart was in the right place: it is trying to forward a feminist workspace, and I think that's a very good thing.

While I was watching this film, however, I couldn't help but constantly wonder who this film was made for, because there were certain sections of the movie that were so heavy-handed it felt like I was watching a Christian film like "God's Not Dead", but instead of the creators building towards a sort of altar call they were shouting for Fox News to change its ways. The hard-rights- the people that wholeheartedly believe that Trump is right 100% of the time, that he has a God-given right to be president, the ones that listen to Fox News and believe whatever they say is 100% right 100% of the time- those are the kinds of people that really need to see this movie, because those are the hearts that need to be changed. The problem with this movie is that it is so blatantly attacking Fox News, Trump, and everyone in that establishment in such a naked way that anyone who might benefit from hearing that criticism will almost certainly avoid this movie. Yes, Robert Ailes (played by John Lithgow, "Raising Caine") was a bad guy, and yes, Fox News needed to change its work atmosphere, but this film certainly wouldn't change anyone's mind whom wasn't already willing to have it changed.

one out of three

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 14 March 2020]

It's 2015 at Fox News headed by Roger Ailes (John Lithgow). Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron) is the star prime time anchor. Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) feels that she's being pushed aside. Kayla Pospisil (Margot Robbie) is her ambitious corporate climbing producer.

This is not a movie I'm itching to see. I'm not particularly interested in the inner workings of Fox News. Non of the characters are actually likeable. Gretchen annoys me. Roger is a sleaze as expected. Kayla and her gay friend Jess are not that interesting to me. I don't feel any sympathy for them. The only interesting character study is Megyn Kelly. She has a fascinating journey and her investigating the sexual harassment could have been thrilling. I want more of her family especially her relationship with her husband. It would have been nice to see some of her legal work. She needs to be more than Miss America and a female dog. Her actual personal life is what humanizes her. It would be intriguing to have her as the sole main character. Quite frankly, reducing this to a study of Gretchen and Megyn would be enough to raise the personal power of the characterizations.

whats really going on behind the scenes

[mohmmadfaoz · 7/10 · 16 May 2020]

Bombshell showed us What happened in the Fox Channels scandal with the CEO of Fox News Channel Roger Ailes of harassing female employees, and how was the process of exposing and suing him, when I watched this movie I was not aware of the real events that happened at Fox, so I don't know what happened exactly but I will base this film. Far from the political aspect of the movie, this film managed in one way or another to tell these events excellently, and we all know that many women around the world not only in the United States or in TV companies have suffered or suffer from harassment at work or even in the streets, and not all women can take their rights away. It is truly sad, if a woman has ambition and seeks to achieve her goals, then she must sell her body to some foolish men, who take advantage of their positions and power, for the sake of their lusts. Positives The director Jay Roach did a good job of choosing this directing method, although it was not quite successful, the editing was also excellent, and splitting the scenes between the great cast, in an excellent way, starting with the actress Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly, which was the best in my view, And also the wonderful Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson, and Margot Robbie as Kayla Pospisil that will be of great importance in the coming years, also John Lithgow as Roger Ailes, all of them did a very amazing job, the music was good for the purpose, the choice of colors, costumes, and makeup was very successful. I wished that Roger Ailes took a little more time to know him more than being the CEO of the company and women. Wonderful movie and definitely worth your time.

7.5/10

The movie was great

[kyra-32379 · 9/10 · 19 December 2019]

For those writing bad reviews because they are Trump supporters, you knew what movie was going to be about. This movie was fantastic. Charlize Theron definitely deserves an Oscar for her portrayal of Megyn.

Brilliant makeup effects decent story

[lisafordeay · 6/10 · 2 May 2022]

Bombshell is a 2019 Biopic based on the scandal on Gretchen Gayes being harassed by Fox owner Roger Allies(John Lithgrow) at a workplace. Together with Megan Kelly( an unrecognisable Charlize Theron) and a young journalist(Margot Robbie),the three file a lawsuit against Roger. Will he get away with it?.

What drew me to this film was the makeup effects on Charlize Theron. I literally thought while watching that it was Katherine Heigl or Elizabeth Banks as Megan instead of Charlize. The makeup effects on John Lithgrow was good too but Charlize was very good(Defiently up there with Lily James as Pamela Anderson in Pam And Tommy).

Incredibly well filmed, definitely deserves better

[UniqueParticle · 8/10 · 20 December 2019]

Riveting acting throughout, great cinematography and well written! I'm not fully sure what the hate is about but I surely loved the bulk of the movie. I appreciate the tearjerker aspect and the points it was making known; maybe the masses is fed up I am not I think Bombshell is very important! I am glad I was able to see on opening day and before the golden globes. More enjoy my review than expected so thanks so much!

The Trouble With Movies Based on Actual Events

[buddybradley-22665 · 6/10 · 12 June 2020]

The trouble with movies based on actual events is that you don't know truth from lies or exaggeration from fact. This movie has that problem too. I suppose the truth didn't have enough to make an interesting coherent movie but what we end up with is a corrupted picture of the truth. Most will believe that this is the way it happened, and maybe most of it is, but the only way to find out is to read something else; but few will. This kind of movie pollutes history for the sake of entertainment.

Consistently disengaging

[LiamFriedman · 5/10 · 27 January 2020]

BOMBSHELL 5 out of 10 Consistently disengaging.

Charles Randolph, co-writer of best adapted screenplay Oscar winner The Big Short (with Adam McKay, based on the book by Micheal Lewis), wrote Bombshell. He should not be allowed to write alone.

The material he had to work with in bombshell had every opportunity to be engaging, however it was horribly executed with maybe 1 good scene of tension and drama. There is a cautionary foremessage about the presence of dramatisation in the movie. There is no way the movie is less boring than the real events that occurred.

No character was given any depth, with the only distinguishing feature being the A-list actor in the part. Randolph could not choose a focus for the story, not any of the characters or even the main issue was followed to any significant degree; instead, the movie diverts to unnecessary tangents about what our characters are up to in their personal lives in what I can only assume was an attempt to humanise the cardboard cutouts. I couldn't care for any of the characters.

By an acting standpoint, I managed to spot 3 good actors, Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie and John Lithgow. Lithgow's performance was genuinely engaging as was most of Theron's. The few Australian accents in the movie from the Murdoch family were laughable as they parkoured between British, American and have-heard-of-Australia levels of accuracy.

Maybe in an earlier draft of the script Kate McKinnon served a purpose, Bill O'Reilly was more than a name or Margot Robbie wasn't reduced to an extended cameo, but these are only some of the useless elements that made this movie feel an hour longer than it was.

Thematically, the story is hollow, with the only thing the movie says is 'sexual harassment bad', delivering a message beyond safe, that it barely registers as a message. Randolph was unable to even fully commit to any political view on such a significant event, with certain scenes trying to be apolitical and political, displaying anti-trump notions whilst emphasising the reliability and integrity of Fox News, with only a slight left lean, leaving the story forgettable. (The Trump sections were played as cute references?) However, seeing how it reflects my political ideology, it must be good 10/10.

But wait. Isn't it hypocritical for such a big Hollywood movie to condemn sexual harassment whilst also practicing a far more toxic culture than a Fox News office? No because the movie is anti-sexual-harassment, so I think they learnt their lesson.

There were very few scenes of significant CGI use, but boy were those 2 scenes very distracting. An actor on a roof looked like they were floating, with surrounding buildings and rooftop antennae looking less real than their wigs, and an actor was not well composited into archive footage.

Consider me thoroughly disappointed. Should this win any of the 3 Oscars it was nominated for? Probably not.

Not Many Likeable Characters

[noahharrigan · 6/10 · 20 May 2022]

This movie was half defent at the very most. It had pretty ladies in it and told the story of Roger Ailes (who I wasn't very familiar with). Although the movie was good it could have been a lot better; especially the characters. I just didn't, for whatever reason, find either character in this movie likeable in any way. Despite of all this, the fact the movie is based on real-life events make it interesting enough to watch and enjoy.