Promising Young Woman

An audacious, enthralling piece of work, Promising Young Woman follows Carey Mulligan’s Cassandra Thomas as she attempts to avenge a traumatic episode from her past by seeking out and punishing toxic men. First-time filmmaker Emerald Fennell, working from her own screenplay, does a fantastic job of immediately drawing the viewer into the deliberate yet mostly spellbinding proceedings, and it’s clear, certainly, that the movie benefits quite substantially from Mulligan’s hypnotic, completely captivating turn as the fascinating central character – with the actress’ top-notch work here matched by an eclectic supporting cast that includes Bo Burnham, Jennifer Coolidge, and Alfred Molina. There’s little doubt, as well, that Promising Young Woman‘s engaging atmosphere is perpetuated by a narrative that rarely unfolds as one might’ve anticipated and culminates in a genuinely surprising and shocking third act, which, when coupled with a seriously stylish visual sensibility, ultimately does cement the picture’s place as a superb (and, yes, promising) debut from an exceedingly talented new director.

**** out of ****