I normally tend to start my reviews with either a brief summary of the plot, or some preamble that sets the stage for the following thoughts. However, there are occasionally films that just appear and make such an incredible impression, it’s better to cut right to the chase, and proclaim it as something quite extraordinary. Promising Young Woman is quite simply one of the year’s best films, a dark and brooding thriller with overtures of pitch-black comedy that would make any of the great satirists of the past absolutely proud, and perhaps even slightly frightened at the lengths to which those involved show themselves as willing to go to deliver a particular message. Emerald Fennell’s directorial debut is a stunning achievement, a simple but elegant psychological drama that takes absolutely no prisoners, and instead goes on a journey of unhinged madness, traversing some of the most potent issues plaguing modern society, all the while having a deranged sense of humour, and the stylistic pedigree that not only complements the thought-provoking narrative, but also gives the viewer something to marvel at in between the moments of unrestrained socio-cultural terror. It’s a striking work of socially-charged drama that occupies some ambiguous spaces between genres, and has a very peculiar sense of humour, all of which add up to an unforgettable exploration of modern life, taken from the perspective of an artist who is clearly processing a number of strong emotions through this film – whether it be apoplectic rage at the structures that are held to be sacrosanct, or the tongue-in-cheek sarcasm that gives context to the anger, there’s something incredibly special about Promising Young Woman, which seems to have defied the odds and become the rare kind of film that isn’t only appreciated in how it dares to be different, but thoroughly essential in how it tackles some intimidating subject matter – it may not be the definitive word on its main themes, but rather the bold provocation needed to be starting the conversations that we need to be had, regardless of the challenges associated with shifting the discourse – and when your film is a clever subversion of the infuriating fact that Stanford rapist Brock Turner was labelled as a “promising young man”, despite his actions, you know that very few punches are going to be held in the pursuit of a deeper, disconcerting set of truths.

By this point, it’s almost inappropriate to rehash the cliched expression that “revenge is a dish best served cold” when it comes to films like this, but it’s also one that rarely fails to be relevant, especially when functioning as the centrepiece of some very dark comedies that focus on vengeful, scorned individuals getting their retribution. Promising Young Woman is a film that takes inspiration from a long lineage of exploitation stories that look at the psychological machinations of those seeking some kind of satisfaction against those who somehow wronged them in the past, normally equating to unhinged violence that is as satisfying as it is absolutely terrifying. Essentially, Fennell has made a film that could best be described as Kill Bill without the excess, or the films of Russ Meyer, had he developed more empathy towards his female characters as real individuals, rather than objects. Certainly one of the better examples of a female-driven revenge thriller (hearkening back to the incredible work done by the likes of Pam Grier at her peak in the 1970s), Promising Young Woman is quite a daring project that has a strong feminist ideology, but also a very clear artistic integrity towards a much wider range of issue that works perfectly alongside the more notable themes that we’re presented with at the start. It’s rare to find a film like this that is seemingly equal-parts deeply satisfying thriller and thought-provoking social commentary, and its in her ability to balance both, and never deviate from her intentions, whether in terms of the narrative or the very distinct artistic expression, that Fennell makes a case for herself as one of the most essential young voices in contemporary storytelling, with her work here only consolidating her as someone we should be taking quite seriously as a singular artist, since she overcomes many of the teething problems that come with a debut feature, delivering an absolute knockout of a psychological thriller that may be built on a hackneyed phrase, but avoids everything else that accompanies it.

Despite its very strong premise, as well as stunning visual and aural palette, Promising Young Woman would not be nearly as effective had it not been for the astonishing work being done by Carey Mulligan, whose performance is the centrepiece of the film, and the primary reason for every iota of its success. For someone who has been a staple of both the arthouse and mainstream cinema for over a decade, Mulligan is an actress who still continues to surprise us – she reinvents herself regularly, constantly shifting in the kinds of characters she plays, and the manner in which she delivers each one of them, making her performances distinct and iconoclastic, without ever daring to settle into a particular type of role, which has been one of her most significant strengths, albeit one that has meant that many filmmakers don’t quite know what to do with her at times. Fennell is one of the more notable exceptions, since she was capable of harnessing something very raw and visceral in Mulligan, a quality that we’ve seen hinted at before, but which still comes across as an entirely new wrinkle in the career of one of the most enigmatic young actresses working today. Promising Young Woman feels like yet another chance for Mulligan to express her immense talents, playing a jaded young woman looking to get revenge – and it plays on her natural charms, since the role of Cassie is one that doesn’t only need to be entirely believable as someone who would seek out the chance to assert her own unique form of retribution on people who have committed cardinal sins, but also be able to keep the audience engaged and thoroughly enthralled, even when the film calls her actions in question, provoking a conversation about whether or not her modus operandi was justified. It’s a fascinating contrast that occurs in even the most quiet moments, and Mulligan sells every scene with a conviction that continues to indicate that she’s an endlessly gifted performer who can take absolutely any material, transforming herself into whatever character she is tasked with playing, and delivering an absolutely staggering performance, regardless of the film’s constraints, and her chemistry with the rest of the cast (composed of some terrific character actors) all the more memorable.

Promising Young Woman also differentiates itself from other similarly-themed films by being a very clever reworking of the common exploitation revenge thriller narrative, having many peculiar quirks that could’ve easily removed all goodwill towards the film, had it not been so admirably militant in some of its prominent themes. It certainly is a very simple film, insofar as it focuses on a young woman seeking revenge on her adversaries (most of whom don’t even know that they’re being set up as victims of a vindictive young woman). However, the difference comes in how the film handles the specific situations – rather than inciting violence, Cassie is a character that always goes for the jugular in terms of elaborate plots, and incredibly intelligent deception, which is often shown to not only give her the retribution she is seeking, but also the satisfaction in knowing that she did far more harm in deciding against ending the lives of her enemies, and instead putting them through the same psychological torment that she and the deceased friend that she is fighting to avenge went through over the years, which will hopefully last a lifetime. Fennell is a very gifted writer and director, and there isn’t a frame of Promising Young Woman that isn’t exuding anything other than a darkly twisted elegance, both in how it is composed narratively (razor-sharp writing that may occasionally use common tropes as a crutch, which could easily be argued as a deliberate choice), and visually, with the striking hues and compositions coming across as just as important to painting a vivid portrait of modern society as the script. The contrast between the gritty subject matter, and the stunning creative elements, creates a very distinct disconnect between the story and its execution, albeit one that is entirely purposeful, since it keeps us on the edge, constantly questioning where else this already deranged film is heading. We never know what to expect with Promising Young Woman, which seems to be the point entirely – and its seamless blend of dark comedy and agonizing psychological despair is a potent enough concoction to justify some of the more absurd deviations taken in telling this story.

There’s a certain intelligence pervading this film at any given moment, a cerebral espionage that is taking aim at the most fragile, but seemingly most sheltered members of society – those who represent the toxic masculinity embedded deep within the institutions, and which Fennell is entirely comfortable in fully-eviscerating. The fact that Promising Young Woman manages to be one of the most hauntingly effective explorations of this unfortunately dominant socio-cultural phenomenon, without even having to utter those words, or any adjacent terms, is a testament to the strengths of the writing (which carefully uses language in such a way that it can leave certain ideas unsaid, but still have them be as present in the narrative as any of the more traditional elements of the story). Despite its very grave subject matter, Promising Young Woman is a playful film – it looks at some intimidating ideas through the lens of a darkly comical revenge drama, which plays on our psychological understanding of the world around us, but it never comes across as heavy-handed, even when there is a clear message being conveyed, which is potent enough to qualify it as one of the more important glimpses into the way society functions. There’s a certain fearlessness that exudes from this film, since there was always going to be some faction of the worldwide population that would take umbrage to what is being shown here – after all, this is a film that takes aim at an entire group of people in a time when movements such as #MeToo and “Men are Trash” are at their peak. The fatal error being made with a great deal of the criticism through at Promising Young Woman is that it’s a film that degrades men, which completely misses Fennell’s original point of not eviscerating the male population, but rather holding those who perpetuate harmful systemic problems accountable. The fact that this film managed to not only tell such a compelling, important story, all through the lens of a rivetting, action-packed psychological thriller that never avoids the more comical side of some of its situations, all further proves that this is an absolutely astonishing – and perhaps even thoroughly essential – film that is undoubtedly going to make a great impression over time, since socially-charged art tends to age exceptionally well, especially those with such a powerful message. Uncomfortable, eviscerating and truly sinister in how it traverses massively important themes, Promising Young Woman is an absolutely incredible achievement.