Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
Cast: Jessica Chastain, Michael Stuhlbarg, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mark Strong, Jake Lacey, Alison Pill, John Lithgow, Sam Waterston, Douglas Smith, Dylan Baker, Ennis Esmer, Lucy Owens, Noah Robbins, Joe Pingue, Michael Cram, Meghann Fahy, Grace Lynn Kung, Sergio Di Zio.
There will be those that dare suggest that Feminism has no place in the 21st Century, that to them, disturbingly on the increase in the younger more affluent ends of female society, the word is dead, that it is meaningless to them; however without a construct and movement in place such as Feminism, it would be unlikely that a film of such intrigue and collective brilliance such as Miss Sloane would have ever been made.
It is a testament to the superb Jessica Chastain, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mark Strong and Michael Stuhlbarg and their strong performances that a film which attacks America’s gun regulations and laws, that can in a way covertly be seen to take on the absurdity of the 2nd Amendment of the United States Constitution in the modern age, that the radical of the political lobbyist is seen to be justifiable and hopeful.
The link between Feminism and Miss Sloane is undeniable, it is perfectly weighted and shown to be a story of great importance and like many strong independent women portrayed on screen, will have its detractors and its supporters; the debate will rage on whether it is equality or disingenuous but it must be seen as a vital step forward in the cinematic world in which a film of this magnitude is heralded for its clever and demanding script, its down-playing of stereotypes and the approach of its leading actor, Ms. Chastain.
Elizabeth Sloane is a winner, at all costs she likes to take the game on and in this alone she is reflecting a million women and a million women more in their approach to life and the way they like to be perceived, they are knowledgeable in their field and know exactly how to pull the strings of their world; to see this in action and feel respect for the one on screen is vitally important, too many times do we applaud these traits in men, only to somehow disapprove of them in women, it is not something that should be seen to happen yet look around you, it always does.
Miss Sloane is not only an important film in its subject matter, taking on the gun lobby is always perceived to be a no-no in American politics; it also shines a light on how we perceive people because of their observed gender. A fantastic film, one of great insight and distinguished truth, Miss Sloane is simply one of the most intelligently presented films of the decade.
Ian D. Hall