Delayed Reaction: Miss Sloane

Premise: A lobbyist uses all her D.C. know-how to get a gun-control bill passed.

 

Sometimes, I like to talk about what I'm now calling "fluffer movies". These are movies that make you appreciate another movie even more. I thought of it after seeing Sylvester Stallone’s Lock Up and realizing that it made The Shawshank Redemption look even better. Well, it's not quite a "fluffer movie" situation, but I did a double feature that really made Miss Sloane look great. Right before this, I watched the British whistleblower drama Official Secrets. It's a fine move, but a little dull and a little outside my familiarity. Being based on a true story really limited the number of flourishes they could add. Then, I follow it up with this fictional DC drama that lets Jessica Chastain chew up every scene in all of her hyper-competent glory. It was the shot of adrenaline I needed.

 

This movie isn't perfect by any means. It's a little too wonky at times. Even if I give it a lot of rope, much of it strains plausibility. It might be too sensational for its own good. However, it sure was fun to watch. I love a movie about someone who is really good at their job completing a really difficult task. And no one looks better at their job than Jessica Chastain. Who, male or female would I want to cast to seem better at their job? Maybe Rosamund Pike with a sharp haircut or Billy Crudup in a thousand-dollar suit. The list is short.

 

This movie gives her so many people to spar with. Mark Strong and Michael Stuhlbarg fit right in. The film navigates between whether Gugu Mbatha-Raw is a protege or a prop wonderfully. I even like Alison Pill sneaking in for some good moments.

It's hard to imagine being in a better headspace for this movie than I was in. This isn't a great movie but it sure is a watchable one. In an era where people still watched cable, this is definitely a movie I'd get sucked into one or twice a year on TNT.

 

Verdict: Weakly Recommend