“Promising Young Woman” (PYW), written and directed by Emerald Fennell, is a slow-burn thriller with a hard-hitting impact and packs a powerful message. It is a female-oriented movie with Carey Mulligan playing the protagonist, who is both on a path of retribution and trying to make peace with the world that has unfairly wronged her.

Cassie Thomas (Mulligan) is at a bar, drunk and vulnerable, when a young man picks her up and takes her home. When he tries to take advantage of her situation, a feisty and sober Cassie gives him a sound message that such acts are not acceptable. Not one to use violence, she employs psychological fear techniques to get her message across to many a shocked predator, who thinks she is drunk and attempts to seduce her.

She is clearly in anguish, trying to recover from a cruel past. She is now working at a coffee shop, having dropped out of medical school after the traumatic experience of losing a close friend, Nina. Ryan, a former classmate, appears at the coffee shop, and the two get reacquainted. Cassie learns from Ryan that Al, the one responsible for her loss, is now engaged to be married. Cassie soon puts her plans for retribution into action.

She reestablishes contact with Madison, another classmate who had a hand to play in Nina’s predicament. After getting Madison drunk using an elaborate plot with a friend, she leads Madison to believe that she was date-raped. Next, she meets Elizabeth, the dean of her former college, who expelled Nina from medical school and extracts revenge by terrorizing her, leaving a set of clues that convince Elizabeth that her daughter is in trouble. Her next target is Al’s lawyer, who was able to convince a jury that Al was not involved in the crime.

Cassie soon learns that Ryan too was involved in Nina’s predicament and gets details of Al’s bachelor’s party by threatening Ryan. She now has a final act left to bring Al to justice. Bringing the rich entitled young man to justice is not going to be easy. So Cassie decides to make an appearance at Al’s party as a stripper.

There will be ugly unexpected consequences, not just for Al, but also for Cassie. How will Cassie make Ryan pay? Will Cassie gain retribution? Can she find peace in herself? The rest of the plot answers these questions. Some unexpected, yet consequential events occur as the movie moves through its surprising end. Cassie has made contingency plans for all scenarios, which will have a few impacts on herself. The end is shocking and makes this movie more unique.

With a talented all-star cast and some slick editing, the movie moves at a strong pace. The character of Cassie is unlike any we have seen on screen, and brilliantly portrayed by Mulligan. She is vulnerable and damaged, soft yet vengeful, and has a schoolgirl smile despite her age masking her inner torment. She meticulously plans her moves and has the patience to carry them out. She also makes contingency plans in case the original plans fail. The rest of the cast also gives impressive performances.

What are the consequences when a woman is sexually assaulted, rumors are spread, while the truth is hushed up, where a false narrative is spread and the guilty ones go unpunished? Such incidents have grown exponentially since the advent of social media. What impact do such happenings have, not just on the victim, but also on their loved ones? There are many that partake in these acts, underestimating the damage that it leaves in its wake.This is the primary message in the movie.

I would recommend this movie to all fans of crime thrillers. This movie is Emerald Fennell’s directorial debut and makes it clear that she too, like Mulligan is a rising star.