Susan Granger’s review of “Bombshell” (Lionsgate)
Jay Roach’s flashy docudrama about sexual harassment focuses on three beautiful, blonde women working at Fox News (2015-16): anchor Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron), daytime program host Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) and a (fictional) wannabe anchor Kayla Pospisil (Margot Robbie).
Based on a real scandal, their story opens during a Presidential campaign debate as Megyn Kelly skewers Donald Trump with a question about his disdainful treatment of women. In misogynistic retaliation, he mentions her menstrual cycle which creates more controversy.
Angry at losing her prime time spot, Gretchen Carlson becomes the whistle-blower/catalyst for a campaign that would eventually result in the ousting of predatory CEO Roger Ailes (John Lithgow), who insisted female anchors/reporters wear tight, bright short-sleeve dresses, provocatively hiked above the knee, sheer nude hose and high-heeled pumps – like fembots.
Too bad Carlson’s part is woefully underwritten. There was such pervasive paranoia in the Fox corporate culture that she’s uncertain whether other female employees would come forward, particularly when Kimberly Guilfoyle (Bree Condon) insists everyone wear “Team Roger” shirts.
Milling around are Bill O’Reilly (Kevin Dorff), Susan Estrich (Allison Janney), Jeanine Pirro (Alanna Ubach), Rudy Giuliani (Richard Kind), and Rupert Murdoch (Malcolm McDowell). Kate McKinnon briefly scores as Jess, a liberal lesbian producer who’s terrified of being ‘outed.’
Working from a script by Charles Randolph (“The Big Short”) that’s filled with expedient complicity and disconcerting contradictions, director Jay Roach (“Trumbo”) masterminded Charlize Theron’s remarkable physical metamorphosis into steely Megyn Kelly with the help of makeup artist Kazu Hiro, Oscar-winner for transforming Gary Oldman into Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour” (2017).
Roach notes: “It’s important to remember that Ailes left Fox News in July, 2016, before the eruption of the #MeToo movement when the Harvey Weinstein story broke in 2017.”
According to the end cards, the remuneration paid to the women was $50 million, while Ailes and O’Reilly’s settlement packages totaled $65 million.
On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Bombshell” is a sensationalistic 7 – yet this timely topic could have been so much more dynamic and effective.
