Con’s Score: 3.5 Right-Wing Ratbags
Watching the internal workings of the Republican propaganda machine, otherwise known as Fox News, can be difficult. Anytime a female characters is called a feminist, they deny it quickly and emphatically. Even during the press rounds, Charlize Theron talked up that this all happened before the #Metoo movement – a movement the right and Fox decries at every opportunity. Can you see the irony?
Roger Ailes (John Lithgow) is seen as a leviathan of the Republican machine. He’s worse. He convinced the Regan administration to remove truth in journalism laws that turned Fox News into the propaganda arm it is today. It also meant he was able to make it, and Rupert, powerful through misrepresentations (ie lies). The excesses of this boys club leads to many others, and this movie tells how Ailes was eventually brought down for sexually harassing female staff.
Prime among those was Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman), who went after Ailes after he fired her. She walked off the set after one too many sexist comments from her co-anchors. However, the main character is Megan Kelly (Charlize Theron) who was once verbally harassed by Trump via Fox. She had power and influence, and was seen as the domino that caused the fall of Ailes. Added as a contrast is the character of Kayla (Margot Robbie) – the a young up-and-comer who is preyed upon by Ailes. It’s a pity there’s only one scene where these three actors are seen together and so few where they play off each other, because they do great work.
John Lithgow is excellent though. You can admire how he plays Ailes with real conviction, without turning him into a caricature. Charlize is also commanding as Kelly, and the resemblance is unnerving. There a many scenes where actors are spliced and integrated into real footage, but it’s hard to tell where Theron starts and Kelly ends. She really knows how to play her dimensions. Robbie continues to impress in everything she does and this is a far meatier role than Once Upon A Time. Nicole Kidman is also very good but has less screen time. Special mentions to Kate McKinnon and Malcolm McDowell (he plays Rupert). Raspberries to the actors impersonating Lachlan Murdoch and Jane Pirro, but these are ugly people.
The direction of Jay Roach is also a little disappointing. A lot of the camerawork feels like a Fox News production – cheap and nasty. Instant zooms and wobblecam help keep up the pace, but overplays the drama. Some of the lesser roles became caricatures, which weakens the case.
This is a fast moving production about a difficult topic. We all know women who aren’t feminists, yet enjoy the benefits they’ve given them. But right-wing women are openly disparaging about feminism. I’m not sure why we should applaud the few times they stood up against a situation they allowed to ferment. It’s highlighted in the one key scene when Kelly talks to Kayla who asks her why she didn’t stand up to Ailes earlier. Carlson took the money and ran. Kelly moved onto another station. And the men walked away with multi-million dollar payouts (Bill O’Reilly also went down for sexual harassment). It’s hard to applaud any of these characters, but you can enjoy some powerhouse acting.
Con Nats, On The Screen
