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

[spellmanian]

So the film critic can dish out criticism but not take it?

[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.

[laminy]

Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. Ignoring the language that Carey took issue with to begin with is disingenuous, like they're trying to hide the original criticism and play it off as nothing. Accusing her of bringing it up a year later for award show buzz, instead of acknowledging that - oh yeah, when did the movie come out? a year later! is fucking ridiculous and insulting to her, like she's begging for an Oscar. And saying they "capitulated" to her criticism makes it sound like she was using her power as a celebrity to demand they change the review, which is not what happened at all.

The review was badly written and insulting for no reason. This is a movie about men sticking together to cover up each other's misogynistic bullshit, and look what we have here!

Can't possibly imagine why Promising Young Woman, one of the best critically reviewed films of 2020, wasn't nominated for a single National Society of Film Critics award. I'm sure that was totally unbiased and had nothing to do with this whatsoever.

[xmas_n_hollis]

So the critics are objecting to be critiqued? Hmmm.

Also stfu she had every right to say something about the author basically saying she wasn't idk sexy enough? to be sexually assaulted? Like its somehow unbelievable?

[crystalzelda]

Oh yeah, that’s right, let’s die on THIS hill, why not! It’s my god given right to call an actress too old looking to be party girl date rape trap, and if you try to stop me, cancel culture WINS and we all go to Twitter jail

[luckystar246]

We all know a 60 year old gay man can’t be sexist.

[iznanassi]

im watching the movie now and honestly his review really speaks to that specific brand of gay misogyny. she looks totally fine lmao.

[theactualworst]

It’s almost laughable because he missed the point so blatantly. It’s not about the woman at all. It’s about the men being creepy assholes who will take advantage of women while still thinking they’re good guys because society has made it easy for them to see themselves that way. They’re not viewing this woman as a person, she’s an opportunity.

Also, rape is not about sex or attraction. This is the problem with cases of rape. We’re always looking at the victim and what they may have done to “entice” someone or “put themselves in that situation” instead of really thinking about the psyche of a rapist and how they could do such a horrible thing to another human being.

Whenever someone says something like “well what did she expect to happen?” I always ask them “So are you saying you would’ve raped her too if you’d found her like that?” And they always give a very defensive “Of course not!!” Ok then why are you giving allowances for this person to be a piece of shit if it’s something you could never imagine doing yourself?