There is one moment at the beginning of Promising Young Woman in which the character played by Carey Mulligan -looking slightly dishevelled and eating a hot dog- walks barefoot in front of some builders, who happen to be leaning against a wall. When they notice her, they start whistling and making obscene gestures to her. Then, she stops and stares at them with the confidence of someone in complete control of the situation, which makes the builders uncomfortable and enraged, until they all leave mumbling.

There are many memorable moments in Promising Young Woman (film produced by Margot Robbie, who according to a critic was a better choice for the lead than Mulligan, as he did not see the latter as a natural choice to play a femme fatale role), however, the scene previously described might illustrate how good and timely this film is. The directorial debut of Emmerald Fennell -also author of the script- is a study of trauma, rape culture and the outcomes of issues such as toxic masculinity and abuse. Despite the complexity of those topics, it is extremely remarkable to see that the film manages to successfully deal with them in a way that feels truthful at the same time that it explores a more elaborate storyline centered around a revenge plan.

Surrounded by a large cast -including Alison Brie, Bo Burnham, Alfred Molina, Laverne Cox, Adam Brody and many others-, Carey Mulligan shines as a result of having thrown herself into the role, as her talent has allowed her to disappear completely into a performance that hits all the right notes. She never holds back and makes justice to a well written character that can not be easily described in a few words. As the plot develops and we discover new layers of her character, she convincingly shows the vulnerable side of her role, just to, in a split second, appear menacing. Mulligan’s role is so well fleshed out that it allows her to showcase her skills for the equivalent of two or three films.

Although her performance is a tour de force which could be enough reason to see the film, there are more arguments that make Promising Young Woman worth watching. Despite the fact that, from the surface it could be seen as yet another black comedy/thriller in the revenge genre, nobody should approach this film expecting a female equivalent of the male dominated revenge flicks -so popular nowadays since Liam Neeson’s -fictional- daughter was taken in, erm, Taken-. Fennell’s script cleverly uses the possible expectations of the audience to subvert the genre, as the film follows a somewhat familiar pattern only to then remove the safety blanket of the predictable storylines. This allows her the possibility to explore in depth the devastating consequences of a hideous abuse that has left the main character stuck in a state of arrested development, unable to move forward and leave her past behind, as the feeling of having failed not only herself, but also her best friend, is too strong.

Taking into consideration that I May Destroy You, a show centered on a young woman who has to put her life back together after being raped, has not received any kind of nomination in this year’s Golden Globe Awards -whereas a forgettable and bland show like Emily in Paris has been considered for two awards- is a welcome contrast to see that Promising Young Woman has received several accolades (among them a Bafta award for Best Original Screenplay) and has been nominated for four Golden Globes -best picture, lead actress, director and script-, although left empty handed, and is now nominated for five Academy Awards -Best Picture, Director, Actress, Screenplay and Editing-.

Whether they win any award or not, Fennell’s film will be seen as a timely contribution to a societal change, as it is an engrossing, unpredictable, provocative and necessary exploration of the unheard side of the story. An exploration of how the ramifications of hideously repulsive actions can destroy the life of those who are hurt, violated or worse, while barely making an impact on the existence of the “people” who have committed those sickening crimes.