Movie Breakdown: Bombshell

Pre-Screening Ramble:

It’s weird to me that Bombshell was directed by Jay Roach (the guy behind the Austin Powers series, Meet The Parents/Fockers and other silly movies), but the trailers for it have been pretty great.  Also, let’s face it, a movie that stars the super talented trio of Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie is something that should be seen.

Post-Screening Ramble:

Bombshell is a weird one.  It’s got some big time performances (with the highlight being Charlie Theron’s Megyn Kelly) and a compelling story, but it’s just not a particularly engaging film.  There’s far too many things in play, what with three lead characters and an aim to eternally damn not just Roger Ailes, but also Donald Trump, Bill O’Reilly, and the entirety of Fox News, and the result of this is a movie that tries to do everything and ultimately doesn’t do much at all.  Again though, it’s a weird experience, because the look and feel of it is right, and further exposing the toxic environment that existed at Fox does come off as hyper-relevant.  This thing, however, is just a narrative mess, and where it should be a powerful, sharp drama, it’s a scatterbrained info dump.  I didn’t hate it, but I was left wanting quite a bit more from it.

Bombshell is essentially 2019’s Vice – an OK film that will get nominated for lots of awards due to its content and performances.  I do think it’s worth seeing, but definitely keep your expectations in check.

One Last Thought:

If Bombshell doesn’t land an Oscar for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, I will be very, very surprised.  Kudos to Kazu Hiro, who was also involved with Darkest Hour, Looper and more, for work that can only be described as stunning.

One More Last Thought:

Kate McKinnon’s part in this is pretty small, but she really makes the most of it.  Here’s hoping she lands more dramatic roles soon.