MISS SLOANE
Written by: Jonathan Perera
Directed by: John Madden
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sam Waterston, and John Lithgow
Amy Adams (“Arrival”), Helen Mirren (“Eye in the Sky”), and Jessica Chastain are proving to the movie-going world that female leads can be powerful, smart and strong. Chastain’s newest film, “Miss Sloane,” portrays a formidable lobbyist taking on gun control on Capitol H
ill. She’s ruthlessly brilliant yet this style has consequences as she defends herself at a Senate Ethics Hearing. “Miss Sloane” takes us on this fictional journey, behind the scenes of political games and lobbying. It’s a fast-paced, high powered film that is riveting and intelligent.
While this is a fictional tale, the bullet-points it focuses upon seem very real and plausible. How do lobbyists work and fight for what they want? Are our representatives truly representing the voters’ interests or their own? Corruption is at the heart of this film and “Miss Sloane” splays open the belly of the political body, void of apparent common sense, for all to see.
Sloan (Chastain) isn’t intimidated by anyone as she has learned to always “stay one step ahead” of her competitors and have a trump card ready. Her tactics sound much like a jaguar ready to pounce on its prey, unexpectedly. Her ruthlessness has consequences, however, and when she is hired by Rodolfo Schmidt (Mark Strong) to lobby for gun control, she crosses the line. Leaving Dupont’s (Waterston) firm and taking a small band of allies with her, Sloane takes us to a dark part of politics where morals and
values are forgotten, but results are obtained. The fallout is the American public and those closest to her.
Chastain is absolutely remarkable in this role as a cutthroat and brilliant lobbyist. She commands your attention on the screen and you obey, much like the rest of the cast reacts in the film. The dialogue and information conveyed is just as commanding as you must pay attention to every quick quip, remark, and reaction. Not a word is uttered without significant meaning. Everything about the script is clean, crisp, sharp and full of passion and energy. The characters portrayed run the gamut from moralistically true to completely corrupt and everything in between. Sloan’s emotional victims, particularly Esme Manucharian (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), capture your heart and take your breath away.
Waterston brings his familiar mastery of authoritarian roles to give us “George Dupont.” His strength and confidence are matched only by Chastain’s dominant performance. Strong (Schmidt) is a sheer pleasure as he brings a sense of normalcy to the table and Jake Lacy is perfectly cast as the southern escort. Pill seems to be type-cast in her role as submissive assistant, but there is a reason for
type-casting—she’s perfect at it. The variety of roles and the ensemble cast give the viewer quite a treat. Mbatha-Raw’s understated, yet realistic performance grounds the film.
Pacing and editing are key in “Miss Sloane” as these two factors allow for the high-energy and intensity that keep you glued to the screen. I gave it my best shot “to stay one step ahead,” but alas I didn’t see the plot twists ahead, making this film even more fun to watch. On the down side, I’m afraid this fictional tale isn’t so fictional, but in fact, quite factual as to what happens on Capitol Hill with lobbyists.
“Miss Sloane” gives us an entertaining and thrilling drama with a convincingly strong and skillful lead performance from Chastain. The unexpected twists and turns will have you on the edge of your seat as you witness the fallout. Chastain is proving, along with Adams, Mirren, and many others, that women can carry the lead and succeed. Thank you to writer Jonathan Perera and Director John Madden for providing this female driven film!
3 1/2 out of 4 Stars