Promising Young Woman

Promising Young Woman
Company type	Motion picture
Industry	Film
Founded	January 25, 2020; 6 years ago
Founder	Emerald Fennell
Products	Film
Parent	Focus Features (distributor)

Promising Young Woman is a 2020 motion picture written, directed, and co-produced by Emerald Fennell in her first feature film as a director. The movie features Carey Mulligan portraying a woman grappling with a traumatic history, alongside performances by Bo Burnham, Alison Brie, Clancy Brown, Chris Lowell, Jennifer Coolidge, Laverne Cox, and Connie Britton. It combines elements of black comedy, crime drama, feminist commentary, and vigilante thriller genres.

The film had its debut at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2020, and was later released in U.S. theaters on December 25, 2020, through Focus Features. It garnered widespread critical praise for Fennell’s writing and direction as well as Mulligan’s acting, earning $18 million globally against a production budget of $10 million.

At the 93rd Academy Awards, Promising Young Woman won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and received additional nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Mulligan), and Best Film Editing. Fennell also secured Best Original Screenplay accolades at the 26th Critics' Choice Awards, 73rd Writers Guild of America Awards, and the 74th British Academy Film Awards.

The screenplay was recognized by the Writers Guild of America as the 23rd finest script written in the 21st century.

Plot

Cassie Thomas is a 30-year-old former medical student who left school after her closest friend, Nina Fisher, was sexually assaulted. Nina’s rapist, Al Monroe, was acquitted, leading to Nina’s tragic suicide. Cassie now works at a coffee shop and spends her nights confronting men who attempt to exploit her by feigning intoxication.

When Cassie reconnects with Ryan Cooper, an old classmate, she learns that Al is about to get married. Outraged by Al’s continued success and lack of accountability, Cassie embarks on a mission to exact vengeance on those she believes failed to deliver justice.

Her first target is Madison McPhee, once a friend who blamed Nina for the assault she endured. Cassie deceives Madison into thinking she has been raped herself, leaving Madison visibly shaken. Next, Cassie approaches Elizabeth Walker, the dean who dismissed Nina’s case. Posing as a makeup artist, Cassie lures Walker’s daughter into her vehicle and reveals their location near where Nina was attacked. Walker confesses her role in the cover-up before Cassie reassures her that her daughter is unharmed.

Cassie then encounters Jordan Green, Al’s remorseful defense attorney, who explains how easily rape victims can be discredited in court. She forgives him and later visits Nina’s mother, who urges her to move forward.

As Cassie and Ryan begin a serious relationship, she introduces him to her supportive parents. Madison confronts Cassie with a phone containing video footage of Nina’s assault that also shows Ryan attending the party. When confronted, Ryan denies knowledge but ultimately reveals where Al’s bachelor party will take place.

At the party, Cassie poses as an exotic dancer and drugs several attendees before handcuffing Al and revealing her identity. In the ensuing struggle, Al suffocates Cassie. One of Al’s friends assists in burning her body in the woods. Cassie’s parents report her disappearance; police question Ryan, who maintains his ignorance.

During Al’s wedding ceremony, Ryan receives a message from Cassie indicating that her plan remains active. Authorities arrive to arrest Al for Cassie’s murder. Flashbacks reveal Jordan received evidence and instructions in case Cassie did not return. Among the charred remains is half of a heart-shaped necklace engraved with Nina’s name. Al is taken into custody while Ryan receives a final text signed by both Cassie and Nina.

Cast

In addition, Alfred Molina makes an uncredited appearance portraying the attorney Jordan Green.

Production

Emerald Fennell originated the concept for the film in 2017 and subsequently sold the screenplay to Margot Robbie's production company, LuckyChap Entertainment, following a pitch featuring the opening scene. The script was included in the 2018 edition of the "Black List", which highlights the most acclaimed unproduced screenplays. By January 2019, Carey Mulligan was confirmed as the lead, with Fennell directing. The cast expanded in March to include Bo Burnham, Alison Brie, Connie Britton, Adam Brody, Jennifer Coolidge, Laverne Cox, Max Greenfield, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Sam Richardson, and Molly Shannon; Angela Zhou and Clancy Brown were added in April.

Principal photography commenced on March 26, 2019, in Los Angeles and spanned 23 days. Exterior scenes were primarily shot at Campus South on the Lanterman estate at Cal Poly Pomona. The casting intentionally selected male actors previously recognized for wholesome characters to underscore that perpetrators can come from any background. Fennell utilized "mood boards" to convey the multifaceted nature of Cassie's character.

Initially, Fennell intended to conclude the film with the burning of Cassie's body; however, financiers opposed this bleak ending. She also contemplated a finale where Cassie exacts lethal revenge on her attackers during a wedding but deemed it implausible. Ultimately, she opted for an ending that reveals Cassie’s contingency plan for retribution alongside Al’s arrest at his wedding, reflecting her meticulous planning and darkly comedic tone.

The production’s budget was approximately $10 million.

Release

In February 2019, Focus Features secured worldwide distribution rights for the film, except for territories including Australia, New Zealand, Benelux, Israel, Greece, the Middle East, CIS countries, and South Africa. The film had its premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2020. Initially slated for an April 17, 2020 theatrical release, the debut was delayed due to theater closures amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It eventually opened in theaters on December 25, 2020, followed by a video-on-demand release on January 15, 2021. The Blu-ray version became available on March 16, 2021.

Box office

Promising Young Woman earned $6.5 million across the United States and Canada and accumulated $12.4 million internationally, amounting to a global total of $18.9 million. Released concurrently with Wonder Woman 1984, News of the World, and Pinocchio, it was forecasted to generate approximately $2 million during its opening weekend but debuted with $719,305, ranking fifth. The audience composition consisted of 63% women and 74% aged over 25 years. In its second weekend, revenue declined by 4.4% to $687,900 and then brought in $586,285 during its third weekend while placing sixth both times. The film sustained steady earnings in subsequent weeks, experiencing a 16% increase following four Golden Globe nominations and reaching a cumulative total of $5.1 million by February 21.

Critical response

Promising Young Woman garnered widespread critical acclaim. From its Sundance debut onward, it attracted considerable attention and praise. The film holds strong ratings on both Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic platforms; audiences awarded it a "B+" CinemaScore along with a positive PostTrak score of 73%.

Kate Erbland of IndieWire commended it as an innovative and daring #MeToo revenge thriller. Justin Chang from Los Angeles Times emphasized its bold climax that blends delight with anger and sorrow. NPR’s Linda Holmes highlighted how the film critiques male behavior while centering on Cassie’s story.

Dennis Harvey of Variety praised Mulligan’s nuanced performance but questioned her casting choice concerning the role’s seductive elements. Mulligan responded by calling this critique insensitive; Variety later issued an apology for downplaying her portrayal. The National Society of Film Critics defended Harvey’s original review meanwhile he clarified he did not intend to challenge Mulligan’s suitability based on appearance.

NPR’s Aisha Harris pointed out that Cassie’s vengeance deviates from conventional satisfaction found in typical thrillers. The A.V. Club's A. A. Dowd contrasted Ryan Cooper with predatory men by depicting him as flawed yet hopeful. Emerald Fennell explained Ryan’s silence as stemming from his wish to do good without self-sabotage. Dowd stressed that complicity arises through silence and passivity. Casting Bo Burnham — known for his nonthreatening and youthful demeanor — enhanced this dynamic significantly. Harris also praised Christopher Mintz-Plasse’s portrayal of Neil for perfectly capturing a blend of creepiness and entitlement.

Accolades

At the 93rd Academy Awards, Promising Young Woman received five nominations and won Best Original Screenplay. At the 74th British Academy Film Awards, it was longlisted across thirteen categories including Best Director for Fennell and Best Actress for Mulligan; it secured six final nominations winning Best Original Screenplay and Outstanding British Film. Additionally, it earned four nominations at the 78th Golden Globe Awards and six at the 26th Critics' Choice Awards, winning Best Actress for Mulligan and Best Original Screenplay for Fennell. The film also garnered a Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination along with four nominations at the AACTA Awards, winning Best International Film and Best International Actress for Mulligan. The Writers Guild of America honored its screenplay as the 23rd greatest written in the 21st century.

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