El escándalo (Bombshell)

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.

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+

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 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