Four stars. Rated R, for profanity and occasional sexuality
By Derrick Bang • Originally published in The Davis Enterprise, 12.9.16
Abraham Lincoln tried — and
failed — to abolish lobbyists.
“Lobbyists have more offices in
Washington than the President,” Will Rogers famously observed. “You see, the
President only tells Congress what they should
do. Lobbyists tell ’em what they will
do.”
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| Having decided to take a shot at persuading senators to back a bill enhancing gun background checks, Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain, foreground) gains the support of junior lobbyists, from left, Franklin (Noah Robbins), Lauren (Grace Lynn Jung), Alex (Douglas Smith) and Ross (Al Macadam). |
Ayn Rand was somewhat more blunt:
“Lobbying ... is the result and creation of a mixed economy: of government by
pressure groups. Its methods range from mere social courtesies and cocktail
party or luncheon “friendships,” to favors, threats, bribes, blackmail.”
One cringes at the thought of
what lobbyists will be able to accomplish, dealing with a president who
apparently stalled at fifth grade.
Director John Madden’s Miss Sloane would have been a
provocatively charged political drama at any time; given the current
circumstances, it’s also quite chilling. First-time writer Jonathan Perera’s electrifying
script positively sizzles in the hands of star Jessica Chastain, who tears into
the pungent dialogue with the ferocity of a starving lion. She doesn’t merely
portray the title character; she charges into the role with messianic fervor.
Perera’s personal saga is just as
compelling as his debut screenplay. He was 30 years old, working as an elementary
school teacher in South Korea, when he began the project. Once finished, he
solicited Hollywood industry reps via cold online queries; his script made the
rounds, placing No. 5 on 2015’s celebrated “Black List” of most-liked but
as-yet unproduced screenplays.
FilmNation Entertainment picked
it up; Madden (Shakespeare in Love, The Debt, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) signed on to direct; Chastain
agreed to star.
Perera’s dialog has the rat-a-tat
intensity of Aaron Sorkin’s best work, with similar hot-button political
relevance. It’s compelling, fascinating, suspenseful and crazy-making, lifting
rocks and shining a light on slimy Capitol “business as usual” practices much
the way The Big Short indicted
behind-the-scenes banking shenanigans.
Perera retained sole scripting
credit: almost unheard of, these days, for a newcomer. He’s guaranteed to
garner an Academy Award nomination, as will Chastain.
Her title character, Elizabeth
Sloane, is a high-powered lobbyist heading a team for a well-established “white
shoe” firm headed by George Dupont (Sam Waterston). She’s brilliant, ruthless
and utterly unscrupulous; she also has no life outside of her work. It’s
telling that we never see her eating breakfast, changing clothes, watering
plants or doing anything else that would suggest a home life.
