History Film / PromisingYoungWoman

* AccompliceByInaction: [[spoiler:There were several people present at Nina's rape who didn't do anything to stop it, and Ryan is revealed to be one of them. When Cassie brings this up to him, he bristles at the idea of his involvement being outed, and complains that he "didn't even do anything" -- which is exactly her point.]]

* BystanderSyndrome: There were multiple people present at Nina's rape who didn't step up while it happened or during the subsequent case, [[spoiler:including Ryan. There's also damning video evidence that was shared around to even more people, but no one brought it forward for years. Madison only does so after Cassie makes her think she was raped.]]

''Promising Young Woman'' is a 2020 {{black|Comedy}} [[{{Dramedy}} comedy-drama]] film written and directed by Creator/EmeraldFennell (''Series/KillingEve'', ''Film/{{Saltburn}}''), co-produced by Creator/MargotRobbie, and starring Creator/CareyMulligan. Creator/BoBurnham, Creator/AlisonBrie, Creator/ClancyBrown, Creator/JenniferCoolidge, Creator/LaverneCox, and Creator/ConnieBritton also star.

*** According to Bo Burnham, [[spoiler:Ryan genuinely didn’t remember his involvement in the rape until Cassie shows him the video of it]].

*** According to Bo Burnham Ryan genuinely didn’t remember his involvement in the rape until shown the video.

* HeelRealization: Jordan Greene, an attorney who got many accused rapists off, had an epiphany when he realized just how wrong this was and is now a guilty wreck.

* NeverMyFault: Everyone keeps insisting that it's not their fault that Nina got drunk and committed suicide -- even her rapist Al and [[spoiler:Ryan, who was present during her rape and did nothing to stop it.]] Joe keeps telling Al that "it's not your fault" after [[spoiler:he brutally kills Cassie.]] This makes the aversion with [[spoiler:Jordan, Al's former lawyer]], stand out all the more, as he didn't even need any prodding from Cassie to admit his remorse for his role in Nina's humiliation and eventual suicide, which is why a shocked Cassie ends up forgiving him, in contrast with all the others.

* RichBitch: Cassie’s former classmate Madison, who is now married to a wealthy husband and unrepentant when confronted by Cassie for her complicity in Nina's suffering.

* ShadowArchetype: Al and Joe's friendship mirrors Cassie and Nina's. They have been best friends since they were very young, exhibit UndyingLoyalty towards each other, and are prepared to go to the lengths of murder and mutilation to help each other. But while Cassie wants revenge for Nina's rape and suicide, [[spoiler:Joe is willing to help cover up that Al murdered Cassie.]]

* BrilliantButLazy: Subverted. This is how Cassie's parents and peers view her, as she has absolutely no intention of pursing any type of career path, despite her intelligence, and appears content to work a dead end barista job. However, Cassie is anything but lazy, she just doesn't have career ambitions, preferring to focus her efforts on getting justice for Nina.

** Alex Monroe seems to be an otherwise stand-up guy, surrounded by friends, loved ones and has a successful career as a doctor. When he appears in person, he doesn't seem like that bad of a guy; by all accounts he loves his fiancé, and tries to act gentlemanly to Cassie, under the impression she's a stripper hired for his bachelor party. This all despite the fact he was Nina's rapist, and responsible for her and Cassie's downward spiral. When confronted over this, he is quick to deny any of it is his fault, [[spoiler:before suffocating Cassie and casting the blame on her.]]
** [[spoiler:Ryan appears throughout the movie as a typical love interest who wouldn't be out of place in a romantic comedy, coming off as charming, funny, and caring. This is before it's revealed he was a witness to Nina's rape, and laughed about it with the rest of Alex's friends. Rather than show any remorse, Ryan stresses exclusively over how the revelation of that information would affect his career and begs for Cassie's forgiveness without even apologizing, before bitterly calling her a failure when she rejects him.]]

* RetiredMonster: Al raped a woman in his college years, but from everything we see, there's no signs that he's done anything like that since...[[spoiler:until he [[VorpalPillow kneels on a pillow over Cassie's face for a full two and a half minutes]], [[TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse smothering her to death.]]]]

''Promising Young Woman'' is a 2020 {{black|Comedy}} [[{{Dramedy}} comedy-drama]] film written and directed by Creator/EmeraldFennell (''Series/KillingEve''), co-produced by Creator/MargotRobbie, and starring Creator/CareyMulligan. Creator/BoBurnham, Creator/AlisonBrie, Creator/ClancyBrown, Creator/JenniferCoolidge, Creator/LaverneCox, and Creator/ConnieBritton also star.

* AmbiguouslyGay: Despite his [[HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday ranting about having sex with women]], Joe is extremely attached to his best friend Al, kissing him on the cheek and immediately jumping to help him after [[spoiler:he murders Cassie.]] He also can't think of one nice thing to say about Al's wife, Anastasia, at their wedding, implying jealousy. This would also make him a DepravedHomosexual, as it's him who [[spoiler:helps cover up Cassie's murder.]] Not to mention, the moment where he [[spoiler: helps Al dispose of Cassie]] has [[Theatre/TheKingAndI "Something Wonderful"]] playing, a song all about pleasing the man you love no matter what.

Following its premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, the film was initially set to be released on April 17, 2020, but was pulled from the release schedule as a result of the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic. It was ultimately released on December 25, 2020. Fennell followed this up with the 2023 film, ''Film/{{Saltburn}}'', where Creator/CareyMulligan returns (though in a small role).

** The opening scene features three men at a club. Two of them come across as huge misogynistic jerks who constantly make derogatory remarks about the seemingly intoxicated Cassie. The third, Jerry, seems decent and acts genuinely worried about her. Guess which one tries to rape her?

*** Madison also expresses remorse, asking how she could have thought the video was funny.

Following its premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, the film was initially set to be released on April 17, 2020, but was pulled from the release schedule as a result of the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic. It was ultimately released on December 25, 2020.

** Cassie meets three would-be male rapists at bars throughout the film. First, there's Jerry, the "nice guy" in the opening whom we see trying to rape Cassie. Then there's Neil, who actually doesn't try to rape Cassie while [[ALighterShadeOfBlack she's passed out, although he does work to get her as inebriated as possible]]; then there's Paul, who doesn't get a chance to do anything because he's interrupted by Ryan.

* ShootTheShaggyDog: Subverted. [[spoiler: Al murders Cassie and Ryan lies to the police to make them think it was a suicide, but the last scene exposes the men raping Nina in med school and sees Al arrested for Cassie’s murder.]]

* DoggedNiceGuy: The film is a pretty brutal takedown of the "Nice Guy" especially when it comes to complicacy in rape culture. Cassie's MO is to pretend to be inebriated and lure men to pick her up and try to take advantage of her, only to reveal she's sober and that the supposed "Nice Guy's" aren't as "Nice" as they claim to be. One of them, Neil, even argues "I'm a Nice Guy!" to try to justify himself. Out of this films examples two stand out.
** Alex Monroe seems to be an otherwise stand up guy, surrounded by friends, loved ones and has a successful career as a doctor. When he appears in person, he doesn't seem like that bad of a guy; by all accounts he loves his fiancé, and tries to act gentlemanly to Cassie, under the impression she's a stripper hired for his bachelor party. This all despite the fact he was Nina's rapist, and responsible for her and Cassie's downward spiral. When confronted over this, he is quick to deny any of it is his fault, [[spoiler:before suffocating Cassie and casting the blame on her.]]
** [[spoiler:Ryan appears throughout the movie as a typical love interest, who wouldn't be out of place in a romantic comedy. He's pretty charming, funny, and seems to be a caring guy. This is before it's revealed he was a witness to Nina's rape, and laughed about it with the rest of Alex's friends. Rather than show any remorse, Ryan tries telling Cassie he loves her, and she must forgive him, without even apologizing, bitterly calling her a failure when she rejects him.]]

** She also offers true forgiveness to [[spoiler:Jordan, the lawyer who made sure Al wasn't prosecuted, after he shows himself to be the only person involved who actually regrets his actions. She was ready to have a hired goon come in to do something unspecified. She also still paid the goon despite not using his services.]]

** Al suffers no consequences for assaulting Nina with his friends in med school and even manages to [[spoiler: kill Cassandra when she tries to avenge Nina. He finally gets what’s coming to him in the very last scene when the video of him raping Nina is sent to Jordan and he’s arrested for murdering Cassandra.]]

** [[RetiredMonster Alex Monroe]] was a [[VillainWithGoodPublicity popular and beloved med student]] at Cassie and Nina’s college, so much so that when he raped a drunk Nina, he did it in front of a group of cheering friends at a party and the school did nothing about it. While Nina and Cassie’s lives went down a spiral, with Nina killing herself, Alex would go on to be a successful doctor surrounded by friends and family, and get engaged to a loving fiance. When a vengeful Cassie confronts Alex, he whines that [[NeverMyFault it wasn't his fault]], that he and Nina were "kids" and everyone at the party was drunk, that she was [[NotIfTheyEnjoyedItRealization actually into it]], and that [[ItsAllAboutMe he was also a victim of the situation]] since being accused of rape is every man’s worst nightmare. [[spoiler:When he later overpowers and kills Cassie, his only concern is how the incident will ruin his life. Luckily, due to a ThanatosGambit by Cassie, both his murder of her and his rape of Nina are exposed as [[KarmaHoudiniWarranty he’s arrested at his wedding]].]]

** Alex Monroe seems to be an otherwise stand up guy, surrounded by friends, loved ones and has a successful careers as a doctor. When he appears in person, he doesn't seem like that bad of a guy; by all accounts he loves his fiancé, and tries to act gentlemanly to Cassie, under the impression she's a stripper hired for his bachelor party. This all despite the fact he was Nina's rapist, and responsible for her and Cassie's downward spiral. When confronted over this, he is quick to deny any of it is his fault, [[spoiler:before suffocating Cassie and casting the blame on her.]]

** [[spoiler: [[DoggedNiceGuy Ryan Cooper]] spends much of the movie presenting himself as a genuinely loving boyfriend and successful doctor, and his relationship with Cassie helps her heal her from her trauma. This makes it heartbreaking for Cassie when she discovers Ryan was a witness to Nina’s rape, laughing as it occurred. When Cassie confronts Ryan, he [[ItsAllAboutMe only cares about his reputation being ruined]], and tries love-bombing Cassie before telling her to forgive him. When she refuses, Ryan [[BitchInSheepsClothing accuses Cassie of being self-righteous and calls her a failure]]. When Cassie goes missing, he lies about her being mentally disturbed before attending Alex's wedding. When Al is arrested, it’s implied that Ryan’s involvement will soon be exposed.]]

* TheInsomniac: Jordan Greene, the lawyer who got Al and countless other similar men out of rape accusations says he has not been able to sleep ever since his HeelRealization.

** Madison sees no reason to care about Nina's rape until she believes she herself might have been raped. [[spoiler:She wasn't.]]
** When Cassie confronts [[spoiler:Ryan about him being one of the witnesses to Nina's rape, and ''laughing'' about it, Ryan shows absolutely no remorse over what happened, and is only concerned about ''his'' career and reputation. He tries to tell Cassie he loves her, and ''tells'' her to forgive him without apologizing, instead trying to justify himself.]]