Bombshell

The best way to sum up ‘Bombshell’ is that it's a story that needs to be remembered and told, yet the film we got is good but not great. While all the acting is phenomenal - especially the leads - and makeup fantastic, the story, filmmaking and editing are uncreative and thus fail to hit the home run that this should have been. Having said that ‘Bombshell’ is still one to watch, if only to be reminded of what is still happening to women today - not just in Hollywood, but all around the world.

• Chris dos Santos

Read Chris' full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-bombshell-an-important-yet-uninspired-look-at-fox-news-sex-scandal

A well-acted film about the human cost of bullying and sexual harassment

11.On or about September 3, 2009, Carlson complained to her supervisor that one of her co-hosts on Fox & Friends_, Steve Doocy, had created a hostile work environment by regularly treating her in a sexist and condescending way, including by putting his hand on her and pulling down her arm to shush her during a live telecast._

12.Doocy engaged in a pattern and practice of severe and pervasive sexual harassment of Carlson, including, but not limited to, mocking her during commercial breaks, shunning her off air, refusing to engage with her on air, belittling her contributions to the show, and generally attempting to put her in her place by refusing to accept and treat her as an intelligent and insightful female journalist rather than a blond female prop.

13.After learning of Carlson's complaints, Ailes responded by calling Carlson a "man hater" and "killer" and telling her that she needed to learn to "get along with the boys."

[...]

20.On those occasions when he spoke directly with Carlson, Ailes injected sexual and/or sexist comments and innuendo into their conversations by, among other things:

a. Claiming that Carlson saw everything as if it "only rains on women" and admonishing her to stop worrying about being treated equally and getting "offended so God damn easy about everything."

b. Describing Carlson as a "man hater" and a "killer" who tried to "show up the boys" on Fox & Friends_._

c. Ogling Carlson in his office and asking her to turn around so he could view her posterior.

d. Commenting that certain outfits enhanced Carlson's figure and urging her to wear them every day.

e. Commenting repeatedly about Carlson's legs.

f. Lamenting that marriage was "boring," "hard" and "not much fun."

_g. Wondering aloud how anyone could be married to Carlson, while making sexual advances by various means, including by stating tha...

I was hesitant at first to watch this movie. I couldn't imagine watching anything nearly two hours long about the Fox Network. Plus I saw a lot of negative buzz on the film. I am a progressive and have been glad to see wealthy men being held accountable for sexual harassment finally, but I wasn't anxious to watch a hit job either. I researched the actual story and it seemed to be about two old white guys in a privileged position, and if their conservative wealthy boss fired them, how unfair could it be?

I found it to be entertaining. I gather one of the main characters isn't a real person, but rather a sort of amalgam of many women who were sexually abused and either left Fox or were disposed of in other ways. I liked the husband who supported his famous wife so loyally, and got a kick out of the shenanigans the lesbian character had to go through to stay hidden in plain sight. I never expect a documentary with these films, so small changes and artistic freedom doesn't bother me.

if you are conservative and a Fox news devotee, and don't like to see anything negative about it, you might want to give it a miss. But for the rest of you, if you want to see some of the behind the scenes of a part of the Me Too movement, here you go.