Bombshell is a 2019 American drama film directed by Jay Roach and written by Charles Randolph. The film stars Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, and Margot Robbie, and is based upon the accounts of the women at Fox News who set out to expose CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment. Actors John Lithgow, Kate McKinnon, Connie Britton, Malcolm McDowell, and Allison Janney appear in supporting roles. The project was first announced in May 2017 following Ailes’s death, with Roach confirmed as director the following year. Much of the cast joined that summer and filming began in October 2018 in Los Angeles. It entered into a limited release in the United States on December 13, 2019, before a wide release on December 20, by Lionsgate.
After co-moderating the 2016 Republican debate, Megyn Kelly faces numerous insults from Donald Trump, who is upset because she asked him about his offensive comments toward women. With pressure from the network, and after receiving death threats and unwanted paparazzi attention, Kelly and Trump eventually reconcile. Meanwhile, Gretchen Carlson is removed as co-anchor of the popular Fox and Friends show, and is transferred to a less popular show. Inundated by sexist comments on and off the air, including by Roger Ailes—as well as misogynistic policies like requiring female anchors to wear short dresses—Carlson meets with lawyers, Nancy Smith and Neil Mullin, who explain that Carlson’s contract prevents her from suing the network, but she can sue Ailes personally.
Pospisil meets fellow staffer Jess Carr on her first day on The O’Reilly Factor, and the two sleep together. The next day, Ailes begins sexually harassing Pospisil. Pospisil begins to tell Carr about what happened, but Carr interrupts, saying she cannot get involved. Carlson is later fired, ostensibly for her on-air support of the federal assault weapons ban, and decides to sue Ailes. When the news breaks the next day, Ailes denies the allegations, and Kelly admits to her core team Ailes sexually harassed her when she started at Fox. In the following weeks, despite a number of other women voicing their public support of Ailes, Kelly conspicuously refuses to make comment on Carlson’s accusations.
After more women accuse Ailes, Kelly starts to find other women at the network. Kelly visits Pospisil, and the two confide in each other. Kelly advises Pospisil to come forward, and after consulting with Carr, she does. Through her attorneys, Carlson later informs Ailes she has recorded conversations to support her claims. Defeated, Ailes is fired by Fox co-creator Rupert Murdoch. Ailes settles Carlson’s lawsuit for $20 million and an apology from Fox, but the agreement contains a non-disclosure agreement. Fox eventually paid the victims of sexual harassment $50 million, while paying Ailes and O’Reilly $65 million in severance.
Nicole Kidman looks so odd in this film. Charlize is watchable as usual and even though I know that Margot Robbie is beautiful, acting wise she isn’t all that. 6.5 outta 10! I don’t think I would want to watch it again. Interesting enough for the story, which I was not aware about, and a one time watch!