Bombshell review: Bombshell chronicles the events that saw a number of women come out against Fox News founder Roger Ailes (John Lithgow) with accusations of sexual harassment, a charge led by fired anchor Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman). Soon enough, a number of women, including key host Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron), begin to come forward to take on the toxic atmosphere that Ailes has nurtured throughout the history of Fox News.
Bombshell comes from a screenplay by Charles Randolph, the screenwriter behind The Big Short. That similar fast and loose but informative vibe is what drives a lot of the dialogue in the film, with a lot of direct to camera address delivered by the women at the focus of the story, namely Theron as Megyn Kelly. It works well for establishing the politics at the centre of a newsroom and generates a sense of momentum that allows the film to feel like it is building to a big crescendo.
That’s where the film kind of ends up faltering a bit. It’s very breezy and it moves at a decent clip, but it mistakes narrative momentum for meaningful urgency, meaning that it never quite lands its punches in some key moments. As slick as the proceedings are, it means that some moments in the film go by without leaving much of a mark. The style of filmmaking weirdly lacks the sense of bravado and courage that a lot of its real-life and composite figures in the drama display.
Related: The Big Short review
Thankfully, much of the vitality that the film does have comes from the very strong performances at its centre. Theron disappears into Kelly, with the help of incredible prosthetics and a meticulous approach to imitation. Kidman as well does well to embody Carlson, but the beating heart of the film is Robbie as Kayla, a character who is a composite of a number of different women who came forward. Her scenes are when the film is at its bravest and most pointed, and Robbie shoulders that responsibility with courage and confidence which truly feels the weight of the context, a feeling which you wish carried through the whole film a bit more. The rest of the cast is peppered with great character actors, but the film often feels a little too carnival-esque as it keeps throwing in recognisable actors into the mix.
While all of the performances feel invigorated and determined, there’s something about the way that the film goes about its ‘Big Short’-lite proceedings that lacks that much of a searing and lasting impact that you crave from it. It’s entertaining and is a breezy experience, and the subject matter itself makes it feel vital, but it often feels like it takes that timeliness for granted. It tells the story with efficiency, but you can’t help but feel like different hands on the wheel would have gone a long way to making this important story stick to the ribs just that bit more.
Bombshell is released in cinemas on 17th January 2020.
