Bombshell

2019 • 108 minutes

About this movie

Academy Award® winners Charlize Theron and Nicole Kidman and Academy Award® nominees Margot Robbie and John Lithgow deliver tour-de-force performances in this provocative real story of three whip-smart, ambitious, strong women who anchored one of America's most powerful news networks-becoming headlines themselves when they risked everything to stand up to the man who made them famous.

Ratings and reviews

Please read the description and note that the names of the female anchors are conspicuously absent, as is the name of the network. When I purchased this movie I expected to see respected female anchors who broke through the glass ceiling, the patriarchy, and the sexism; e.g. Barbara Walters, Connie Chung, Cokie Roberts, etc. I did not expect to see three anchors from Fox news; Megyn Kelly, Gretchen Carlson, and a composite character, "Kayla Pospisil" and their coverage of Trump.

Flat movie. Supposedly based on fact, as in Kelly's book but mostly speculation and outright fiction. It's also obvious that the movie itself is a personal hit piece on Ailes and his network Fox News by people in the industry. What they couldn't do in criminal or civil court they tried to do with this movie.

Interesting movie. Once I saw the trailer I definitely wanted to see the film but had no real intent to see it in the theater upon release. As for the movie; it's a good watch; plenty of tension; though each of the three principal women (Kelly/Theron; Carlson/Kidman; Robbie/OReilly producer) seem to be dropped in square pegs; each role clearly defined. Carlson comes across as how she was portrayed; angry vengeful. Kidman doesn't authentically smile at all through the film; when she does; it's as if she's using all her energy to keep from having a nervous breakdown in front of anyone. Her eyes are always red presumably crying every moment of every day. Theron playing Megyn Kelly literally at the top of Fox News; holding as she says all the power in the world but she being indecisive at crucial moments has it come across on screen in the movie that cable network power has it's limitations; if it has any meaning at all; particularly when you're a woman; among other women looking for inspiration guidance and support. Robbie playing a Fox News producer does the best job of the three being the ultimate insider at the network. Not much else needs to be said. When she says she gave into Roger Ailes; you immediately believe it. Lithgow's performance as Roger Ailes seems over-the-top; I tend to think the dramatization the movie indulges in must be primarily that. Did he sexually harass women? Sure. Did Ailes come off with some sort of fire and brimstone attitude throughout the newsroom? Doubt it. But maybe to a bunch of scared nervous people always worried about being fired; it probably easily comes off like that.