Some movies barely contain enough decent material to merit filming — or fail to deliver even that much entertainment. Thankfully others, such as Bombshell, burst with rich storylines, deep characters and creative energy to spare. I had trepidations about this project, but I emerged from the dark convinced this is one of the finest films of the year.

Jay Roach’s film chronicles the rampant sexual harassment of women at Fox News, which exploded into headlines in 2016. Anchor Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) takes a stand against it after she is fired, and hopes that other women will follow. It is a forlorn hope for a long time. Yet the drama behind the scenes, as other anchors and production staff grapple with the career-threatening choice of coming forward with the truth about boss Roger Ailes (John Lithgow) is fascinating, gut wrenching and jaw dropping. When anchor Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron) finally tells her story then things really begin to fall apart for Ailes.

I love how the script (by Charles Randolph) looks at the modern dilemma of sexual harassment in the workplace from every conceivable angle, focusing on how the many women affected by it react to it. One fictional character, Kayla (Margot Robbie), symbolizes how the problem continues, even as some other victims think the worst is long past. Fox News calls itself “fair and balanced” — which was the film’s original title — but it is this movie that essays a comprehensive critique of the ramifications of bad behavior gone unchecked. If it were totally fictional it would be a powerful cautionary tale; that it all took place just a few years ago in such a very public way is a barometer of much further we as a society have to go to achieve and maintain gender equality and respect.

Its deep societal impact apart, Bombshell is a tremendously entertaining motion picture. The acting is phenomenal, with top notch work from Theron, Kidman, Robbie and Lithgow. The narrative bounces around quite a bit, but each of the story threads is fascinating in its own right, before they finally mix together to speak truth to power in an unforgettable way. It deserves a second viewing, and probably a third, just to catch all of the references and inferences of a story which never should have occurred in the first place. ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆. 22 December 2019.