National Society of Film Critics Releases Statement Regarding Variety Promising Young Woman Review

[sisterruth]

A statement from the National Society of Film Critics regarding Variety's apology for its PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN review pic.twitter.com/9XZgGAGOjs
- National Society of Film Critics (@NatSocFilmCrix) February 9, 2021

Main Points:

• Alarmed by Variety's published apology for the review.
• Insinuate an agenda by highlighting that Mulligan's objection

Comments

[missjersey]

OP can you give me the basics of the VF review and Mulligan's response? Cause without that info I don't know what's happening and as a member of ONTD it's common knowledge that I can't read.

[laminy]

Variety review: Mulligan, a fine actress, seems a bit of an odd choice as this admittedly many-layered apparent femme fatale - Margot Robbie is a producer here, and one can (perhaps too easily) imagine the role might once have been intended for her. Whereas with this star, Cassie wears her pickup-bait gear like bad drag; even her long blonde hair seems a put-on. The flat American accent she delivers in her lowest voice register likewise seems a bit meta, though it’s not quite clear what the quote marks around this performance signify.

Carey's response: "I read the Variety review, because I’m a weak person. It felt like it was basically saying that I wasn’t hot enough to pull off this kind of ruse."

[wintourseason]

she has a babyface and perpetually looks about 14. no one bought her as a single mom in Drive, either.

it’s not about her being hot enough, her american accent sucks and she’s kind of a flat performer, esp when compared to margot robbie

[blanchedavidian]

I don't think that's the point. Her resting bitch face, her sarcastic voice, her over it all attitude makes sense in this performance as she's a woman living in the aftermath of the brutal assault and the suicide of her best friend, and her whole life literally revolves around that moment. She's a terribly depressed character. Do people really want Margot Robbie acting like Harley Quinn in this role because that's what the reviewer was getting at with his "candy color hair" comment.

[missyxxmisch]

Thats weird though, cos she was 1000 times better in this film then anything Margot has been in and if you go to literally any review about this film its men laughing that no man would ever try pick her up cos she looks too old and haggard.

[trekkiepetrelli]

it's about her looks, not her performance. it's a bullshit review and he deserved to be called out on it.

[villanellesalt]

"she has a babyface and perpetually looks about 14. no one bought her as a single mom in Drive"

1 - That's not the point.
2 - How is that her fault?
3 - What is she supposed to do about it? Play 14 year olds?
4 - So the criticisms about her appearances are valid because she doesn't look like how an adult woman should look to you and others?

5 - I completely disagree, she looks her age, and some people complained she looks too old. Misogyny.

[laminy]

Imagine coming into this post with that take. I cannot.

[wintourseason]

🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️ just never been a fan of any of her work

[sidura]

Look this is the crux of it. It has nothing to do with performance.

His wording basically made it sound that Margot Robbie in his opinion would be more likely to be taken home by 'nice guys' and raped.

Carey Mulligan is not hot enough for him to think it would be an issue so he thinks it takes away from the film because only really hot.women have to worry about things like this.

If that was his intent I can't say but I haven't read his response.

But the other critics are now gas lighting by saying she's only saying this because of award season. As when did the film come out for most audiences.

He may have written it for Sundance but when did the review get widely circulated? When would she have been asked about if she had read it? Probably when having to do junkets to promote the film for its wider release.

[talklikelions]

That was now I initially read it. I think my bf read that to me or something bc I remember getting HEATED and ranting about how rape is about power and not about a victim’s appearance, like being ugly or fat or disabled or any other “undesirable” (I say this with a lot of irritation bc I do NOT view those traits that way) doesn’t make you safe and women especially need to know that.

I see from other ppl that it possibly wasn’t intended that way but if that’s how she read it she was probably horrified and sickened.

[xmas_n_hollis]

Not the OP but Variety's peice had a part where they speculated that Mulligan was somehow unbelievable as a chick who'd a) be assaulted b) turn vigilante on disgusting men. Cary M. found fault with that part I do believe.

Anyone correct me if I'm wrong, I'm going off of my memory.

[sisterruth]

Parts of the Variety review

[missjersey]

Ooohhh right right right. I remember this now.

Yeah fuck him, it was a terrible and ignorant take.

[aristobrit]

Robbie Collin at the Telegraph has been doing the most about this, stirring it up on film twitter, and Guy Lodge at Variety is not far behind, both providing lots of cover for the Variety critic and acting like anyone who doesn't agree with them is not smart enough to get it. They've been very annoying for weeks.

[sisterruth]

I should add that the critic then gave an interview to the Guardian (after Carey had commented on the review):

"I’m a 60-year-old gay man. I don’t actually go around dwelling on the comparative hotnesses of young actresses, let alone writing about that.

What I was attempting to write about was the emphasis in the film and [Mulligan’s] performance on disguise, role-playing and deliberate narrative misdirection. Nor was bringing up Margot Robbie meant to be any comparison in ‘personal appearance’.

Robbie is a producer on the film, and I mentioned her just to underline how casting contributes to the film’s subversive content - a star associated with a character like Harley Quinn [Robbie’s Suicide Squad character] might raise very specific expectations, but Mulligan is a chameleon and her very stylised performance keeps the viewer uncertain where the story is heading."