Under the peachy guise of a girlish movie in pink and candy tones, which pretends to be either a grotesque comedy or a thriller about revenge, Promising Young Woman is a profound statement about society’s attitude towards women and violence against them.
The main character, Cassie, played by Carey Mulligan, is an attractive young woman, living with her parents and selling drinks in a hipster coffee shop, who turns into a wicked vigilante when the city’s lights go out. She goes to nightclubs and bars, pretending to be very drunk, and waits for the potential predator to hit on her so she could eventually bash his head in. The plot looks pretty cut and dry on paper, but there are some really cool hidden details you may have missed while watching Promising Young Woman.
1. Cassie’s hairstyles and outfits aren’t random.
You may think the movie’s MUA team loved their job so much that they decided to change Cassie’s hair every 15 minutes. But in reality, the hairstyles were inspired by other women she had seen getting assaulted. It’s like she dons the life and suffering of the victims in order to execute a proper vengeance.
2. Cassie’s default look was inspired by Brigitte Bardot.
Did you notice how she kind of reminds you of someone, but you just can’t tell who exactly? That’s because if Cassie had that tooth gap, she’d be a carbon copy of the fabulous Brigitte Bardot. And those luscious bangs clearly represent a shield that’s supposed to save her against the bad guys.
