Movie Review: ' Bombshell'

Even in the brightest most beloved environment, when dark behavior is revealed, stellar reputations can be tarnished and dimmed. With a surface of polished, glittering gold, who would even think to step forward to reveal the darkness lurking below such a sparkling facade? 

 

Of the many 24-hour news services clogging TV programming, Fox News is perhaps the most notable. This is not solely because of its accurate news coverage, but because the network is so highly publicized, does report biased news and has a following of loyal viewers. Fox News tells its viewers what they want to hear and has attractive female newscasters to do so.

 

Roger Ailes (John Lithgow) is the demanding, dictatorial head of Fox News and is responsible only to the owner of Fox’s parent company, Rupert Murdoch (Malcom McDowell). Roger is head of Fox at least at the beginning of the movie. Megan Kelly (Charlize Theron) and Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) are the shows’ two most stellar anchors. 

 

Kayla Pospisil (Margot Robbie), is an excited newcomer to the station and very anxious to make a favorable impression. She hopes to insure a place for herself on the newscasting team of beautiful women. Kayla finds a new friend at the station in Jess Parr (Kate McKinnon), who for secret reasons tends to prefer a low profile around the offices, these reasons she eventually reveals to Kayla.

 

There is an often quoted expression drifting around the office: “To get ahead, you’ve got to give head.” This expression is frequently used by the morbidly obese Roger Ailes, when interviewing female recruits for spots on his broadcast team. He has numerous other guidelines he follows during interviews conducted behind the closed door to his office. 

 

Kayla comes to Roger’s attention and is invited to his office for an interview. Her excitement for the interview and potential career at Fox broadcasting soon sours and quickly turns to disenchantment, then embarrassment and finally disgust.

 

Veteran anchors, Kelly and Gretchen know “the drill” and don’t approve of it – they’ve lived with it for years. Finally Gretchen has had enough and steps forward to do something about the toxic working environment – especially for the female staff at Fox. 

 

After much thought and creating a plan to overcome the problems she knows will surely be forthcoming, Kelly joins Gretchen. Kayla turns to Jess, her only friend at the studio, for comforting and advice. These two also devise a scheme to better their situation. The wheels to improve working conditions at Fox are finally set into motion that even Roger cannot stop. 

 

Bombshell is directed by Jay Roach (Credits: Trumbo, The Campaign) and is a “must see” movie that runs 108 minutes.

 

johan@beachcomber.news