---
title: "Bombshell"
year: 2019
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/bombshell"
fi1m_id: "bombshell"
imdb_id: "tt6394270"
tmdb_id: 525661
wikidata_id: "Q58814589"
fi1m_score: 63
critics_score: 58
critics_reviews: 29
published: "2026-10-03T00:45:52.845232+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-03T00:45:53.390175+00:00"
region: "DE"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Bombshell (2019)

Directed by Jay Roach · 1h 49m · FSK 12 · Drama

## Identity

Bombshell

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/bombshell
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** bombshell
- **IMDb ID:** tt6394270
- **TMDB ID:** 525661
- **Wikidata ID:** Q58814589
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6394270/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/525661, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q58814589

**Fi1m score: 63** · Critics 58 from 29 reviews

*In a sentence:* All those television smiles, and nobody can relax for a moment

> Jay Roach’s harassment drama has enough force to justify an evening, chiefly through Charlize Theron and Margot Robbie. Its hurried storytelling and gentle treatment of the women’s politics keep it from going much deeper.

## Synopsis

At Fox News, Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron), Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) and Kayla Pospisil (Margot Robbie) face a workplace in which Roger Ailes (John Lithgow) has the power to shape their careers. Megyn Kelly and Gretchen Carlson are established presenters; Kayla Pospisil wants to get ahead. Across the newsroom, offices and a lift shared by women, professional ambition is entangled with the need to keep the boss pleased. Kayla Pospisil’s first encounter with Roger Ailes brings the pressure into focus, as the women negotiate a television business where harassment and bullying are part of how authority operates.

## Review

Jay Roach’s *Bombshell* is a worthwhile but limited drama about harassment at Fox News, with performances that give its brisk account more weight than the writing supplies. Charles Randolph’s screenplay wants to take us through the workplace quickly and make its chains of power easy to follow. That approach keeps the film accessible, though it also encourages us to accept people before we have properly considered them. The strongest passages give the women time to hesitate, rather than hurrying them towards the next explanation.

Charlize Theron’s Megyn Kelly is compelling because the performance keeps us alert to how much professional confidence can conceal. Even a pause feels like a decision about what can be said without consequences. The physical resemblance is striking, but the guarded delivery gives us something to watch once recognition has worn off. Nicole Kidman is persuasive as Gretchen Carlson, though Charles Randolph gives her too little room; her experience deserves more attention than this crowded account can spare.

Margot Robbie gives Kayla Pospisil an eagerness that makes her first encounter with Roger Ailes difficult to sit through. We were horrified by the pressure in that office, because she makes the effort to remain agreeable feel like work she cannot safely stop doing. John Lithgow allows Roger Ailes enough ordinary authority to make the intimidation credible. He does not need to announce the danger with every line. The scene understands how wanting a job can make resisting its gatekeeper harder.

Barry Ackroyd and Chris W. Johnson’s cinematography keeps our attention on people assessing one another inside the newsroom. The watchfulness is useful: faces matter here because everyone is trying to read a situation without disclosing too much. Mark Ricker’s production design supplies a credible workplace for these uncomfortable encounters, making the intimidation harder to dismiss as something separate from the daily business. The women-only lift scene is especially effective, allowing the shared space to suggest pressure without another explanation of the company hierarchy.

Jon Poll’s editing gives the film considerable forward movement, but it also leaves some conversations feeling rushed before they have been understood. The briskness helps when the job is simply to keep a large workplace legible. It becomes a problem when a woman’s response needs time to register and the film is already moving on. Theodore Shapiro’s music fits that impatient energy, though we wanted less encouragement to treat the next development as entertainment. The performances supply discomfort more persuasively than the surrounding bustle does.

The larger weakness is the treatment of the women’s politics. A workplace drama can take harassment seriously while examining what its central characters have helped their employer do. Here, the women’s relationship to Fox News receives too gentle an inspection, as though further scrutiny might make sympathy harder to secure. We do not need them made easier to like, and the screenplay’s caution makes them less interesting. Questions about their own influence within the company are raised without being pursued for long.

At 109 minutes, *Bombshell* is unlikely to test anyone’s patience, but its speed should not be mistaken for completeness. The acting and the scenes of coercion justify a qualified recommendation, particularly for those interested in how intimidation becomes routine at work. Leave time afterwards to argue about whom the film lets off lightly.

*Fi1m score 63, published 3 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

The consensus on Bombshell is mixed, with critics more united on the acting than on the film’s account of harassment at Fox News. Praise centres on Charlize Theron’s portrayal of Megyn Kelly and Margot Robbie’s performance as Kayla, while John Lithgow’s Roger Ailes also draws approval. Supportive reviews find the drama brisk, disturbing and emotionally persuasive; even several detractors credit the cast with making individual encounters with abuse compelling.

The split is wide over how much the film understands the institution behind those encounters. Variety finds suspense and convincing newsroom detail, whereas Little White Lies condemns the softening of the anchors’ politics and the lack of moral complexity. Reservations elsewhere cluster around shallow analysis, uneven comedy and rushed storytelling. For the more critical reviews, the problem is not making these women sympathetic, but failing to examine their complicity in Fox News’s wider culture and politics.

## Straight answers

**Is Bombshell worth watching?**

*Bombshell* is worth watching if we want a drama about workplace intimidation carried by strong performances, though our score of 63 reflects substantial reservations. Charlize Theron and Margot Robbie make the pressure felt, but the hurried storytelling and gentle scrutiny of the women’s politics leave important questions underexplored.

**How long is Bombshell, and what is it rated?**

*Bombshell* runs 1h 49m and is rated 12 by the FSK in Germany. It is a drama film.

**Where can I watch Bombshell in Germany?**

*Bombshell* is streaming on Amazon Prime Video and HBO Max in Germany, and it is also available to rent from Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video from €3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Bombshell, and is it suitable for children?**

*Bombshell* has a UK 15 certificate and is unsuitable for children, with workplace harassment, bullying and coercion making it distressing viewing. We found Kayla’s first encounter with Roger Ailes horrifying because of the pressure to remain agreeable; that intimidation warrants caution for teenagers and anyone sensitive to depictions of harassment.

**How does Bombshell compare to The Assistant?**

*Bombshell* offers a brisk, crowded account of workplace harassment, while [*The Assistant*](https://film.one/film/the-assistant) is the stronger choice for a quieter, more exact study of how powerful men are protected. We recommend *Bombshell* for its forceful central performances, but *The Assistant* gives closer attention to the small permissions surrounding abuse through a junior employee’s working day.

**What should I watch after Bombshell?**

After *Bombshell*, try [*The Assistant*](https://film.one/film/the-assistant) (2019, Fi1m 81): A quieter workplace drama, attentive to the small permissions that protect powerful men. Then [*The Insider*](https://film.one/film/the-insider) (1999, Fi1m 89): Another corporate reckoning, with more patience for the personal cost of speaking out.

### Reviews we read (29)

- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (90/100, inferred): Turan calls the film ferociously entertaining, harrowing, and triumphant. He especially praises the sharp direction and the performances, singling out John Lithgow’s complex portrayal of Roger Ailes. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-12-12/bombshell-review-fox-news)
- **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (Critic's Pick): Gleiberman praises the film as a powerful, suspenseful account of the harassment reckoning at Fox News. He singles out the finely textured newsroom detail and the three lead performances for making the story compelling and emotionally resonant. [Read](https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/bombshell-review-charlize-theron-nicole-kidman-megyn-kelly-1203426314/)
- **Empire**, Terri White (85/100, inferred): White finds the film an unflinching, empathetic and authentic account of the #MeToo movement. She especially praises Margot Robbie’s portrayal of Kayla, highlighting a disturbing scene that makes the cost of harassment painfully clear. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/bombshell/)
- **Evening Standard**, David Sexton (4/5): Sexton finds the film intriguing but somewhat unbalanced, with its portrayal of the harassed women and their complicity in Fox News complicating sympathy. He singles out John Lithgow’s fascinating, repellent performance as Roger Ailes for praise. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/bombshell-review-how-life-at-fox-news-became-a-horror-show-a4336876.html)
- **Total Film**, Kate Stables (4/5): Stables finds Bombshell a smart, fast-moving drama with some tonal and structural stumbles. She especially praises Charlize Theron’s compelling performance as Megyn Kelly. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/bombshell-review/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (75/100, inferred): McCarthy finds the film a smart, snappy and engaging account of Roger Ailes’s downfall, though it does not offer deep analysis. He especially praises the convincing performances and physical transformations of Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and John Lithgow. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/bombshell-review-1254240/)
- **IndieWire**, Eric Kohn (B-): Kohn finds the film cartoonish and overworked but ultimately effective, with a tragicomic soul. He especially praises Charlize Theron’s compelling transformation as Megyn Kelly and the film’s insight into women taking a stand against abuse. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/bombshell-review-charlize-theron-megyn-kelly-1202195314/)
- **RogerEbert.com** (64/100, inferred): The page could not be accessed, so its verdict and specific praise or criticism cannot be verified. The available page information identifies it as a review of the 2019 film Bombshell. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/bombshell-movie-review-2019)
- **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (64/100, inferred): The accessible page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It also provides no specific praise or complaint beyond the film’s premise. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/bombshell-review/5144827.article)
- **The i Paper**, Demetrios Matheou (★★★): The review finds the film powerful but ultimately limited. It singles out Margot Robbie’s heartbreakingly good performance while criticizing the film for not delving deeper into office politics. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/bombshell-review-margot-robbie-is-heartbreakingly-good-in-a-metoo-drama-thats-powerful-but-only-to-a-point-386899)
- **Time Out**, Joshua Rothkopf (3/5): The review finds the film’s portrayal of Fox News cartoonish despite its real-life rage. It singles out Charlize Theron’s performance as a standout. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/bombshell)
- **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane (50/100, inferred): Lane finds “Bombshell” forceful but hastily assembled, with its fact-fiction blend sitting uneasily. He praises Charlize Theron’s commanding performance, while faulting the film’s rushed, choppy treatment of its subject. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/12/23/bombshell-and-the-perils-of-topicality)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (45/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the film insightful but uneven, with its critique weakened by strained performances and a muddled attitude toward its protagonists. He praises its depiction of sexual harassment and bullying as connected forms of corporate coercion. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/dec/09/bombshell-review-margot-robbie-charlize-theron-nicole-kidman)
- **Little White Lies**, Sophie Monks Kaufman (3/2/1): The critic sharply condemns the film as disingenuous and politically evasive. She singles out its airbrushing of the anchors’ politics and its failure to give its female characters moral complexity. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/bombshell)
- **Slant Magazine**, Michael Joshua Rowin (1.5/4): The critic finds the film too irreverent and narrow to deliver a meaningful critique of Roger Ailes’s criminality. He praises the performances, especially the actors’ portrayals of the women’s complicated experiences, but faults the film for reducing systemic sexism to Fox News and elite legal maneuvering. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review-bombshell-is-a-collection-of-quirks-in-search-of-a-trenchant-criticism/)
- **Sight and Sound**, Pamela Hutchinson (30/100, inferred): Hutchinson finds the film slick and over-explanatory, though its performances make it compelling. She particularly praises the women-only lift scene for conveying the mechanics of the media business. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/bombshell-review-rote-walk-through-fox-news-scandal)
- **Vulture**, Alison Willmore (30/100, inferred): Willmore finds the film a misbegotten, uneven drama whose flashes of insight cannot overcome its unearned inspirational ending. She praises its occasional attention to conservative white feminism, while faulting its failure to confront Fox News’s complicity in the politics it depicts. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2019/12/movie-review-bombshell-with-charlize-theron-nicole-kidman.html)
- **Eye for Film**, Jennie Kermode (75/100, inferred): Kermode finds the film finely crafted and well told, despite occasional missteps. She particularly praises its acting ensemble and the performances that bring the characters to life. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/bombshell-2019-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)
- **HeyUGuys** (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the film timely, engaging, and largely successful despite reservations about its comedic elements. They single out the performances of Theron, Kidman, and Robbie, as well as Lithgow’s portrayal of Ailes. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/bombshell-review-charlize-theron/)
- **Den of Geek**, Natalie Zutter (3.5/5): The critic finds the film compelling and vital to the #MeToo conversation, despite its subjects sometimes receiving too soft a touch. She especially praises its ability to make women across an ideological divide sympathetic, alongside the performances and transformative makeup. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/bombshell-review-margot-robbie/)
- **NME** (70/100, inferred): The review finds the film both entertaining and depressing, praising its deft handling of a difficult tone. It singles out Charlize Theron’s nuanced performance and Margot Robbie’s heartbreaking portrayal. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/bombshell-review-charlize-theron-2598012)
- **Film Stories**, Simon Brew ([3Stars]): The review finds the film competently told but too safe and insufficiently angry. It praises the strong performances while faulting the shallow treatment of supporting characters and Fox News culture. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/bombshell-review/)
- **/Film**, Hoai-Tran Bui (5/10): Bui finds the film shallow and overly sympathetic to its female anchors, failing to reckon with the controversy’s complexity. She praises Margot Robbie and Kate McKinnon’s scenes together, while criticizing the film for sidelining Gretchen Carlson’s experience. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/571082/bombshell-review/)
- **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (D+): Goldberg finds the film muddled and superficial, with little insight into either Fox News or workplace harassment. He criticizes its emphasis on celebrity impersonations, which distracts from understanding the people and institution it portrays. [Read](https://collider.com/bombshell-review-charlize-theron-megyn-kelly/)
- **The Skinny**, Jamie Dunn (★★): Dunn finds the film glib and shallow, ultimately saying it fizzles out. He praises Charlize Theron’s impressive impersonation of Megyn Kelly. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/bombshell)
- **The Wrap** (40/100, inferred): The critic finds the film compelling but overstuffed and tonally scattershot, with its explosive story never fully detonating. They praise Charlize Theron and Margot Robbie, especially Robbie’s performance in Kayla’s first encounter with Ailes. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/bombshell-film-review-charlize-theron-margot-robbie-nicole-kidman/)
- **Consequence**, Brett Arnold (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film messy and ultimately ineffective in its attempt to portray women challenging Fox News. They praise Margot Robbie’s fictional character’s storyline as the film’s most compelling and chilling material. [Read](https://consequence.net/2019/12/film-review-bombshell/)
- **Digital Spy**, Gabriella Geisinger (30/100, inferred): Geisinger finds the film’s account too narrow and its treatment of white feminism discomforting. She particularly criticizes its glossing over Megyn Kelly’s racist comments and the broader impact of Fox News. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a30443829/bombshell-racist-megyn-kelly-white-feminism/)
- **Polygon**, Jesse Hassenger (30/100, inferred): The critic finds Bombshell stylish but ultimately superficial, with little point of view beyond condemning harassment. Charlize Theron’s uncanny performance and Margot Robbie’s solid turn provide some star-powered electricity. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/2019/12/11/21011349/bombshell-review-jay-roach-charlize-theron-kate-mckinnon-margot-robbie-big-short-laundromat/)

## Details

- **Director:** Jay Roach
- **Director:** Jay Roach
- **Writer:** Charles Randolph
- **Cinematography:** Chris W. Johnson, Barry Ackroyd
- **Editor:** Jon Poll
- **Music:** Theodore Shapiro
- **Production design:** Mark Ricker
- **Costume design:** Colleen Atwood
- **Producer:** Jay Roach, Charles Randolph, Margaret Riley
- **Cast:** Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly; Margot Robbie as Kayla Pospisil; Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson; John Lithgow as Roger Ailes; Allison Janney as Susan Estrich; Malcolm McDowell as Rupert Murdoch; Kate McKinnon as Jess Carr; Connie Britton as Beth Ailes
- **Runtime:** 1h 49m
- **Certificate (FSK):** 12
- **Release (Germany):** 13 February 2020
- **Genres:** Drama
- **Budget:** $32 million
- **Box office:** $61 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rBnkBIhoFE

## Where to watch in Germany

- Amazon Prime Video: streaming
- HBO Max: streaming
- Amazon Prime Video: add-on
- Apple TV: rent €3.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent €3.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy €7.99, sd
- Apple TV: buy €9.99, hd

*Checked 2026-10-03.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, DK, EE, FI, FR, GB, HK, IE, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, SE, SG, TH, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2020: Best Makeup and Hairstyling (won)
- Producers Guild Stanley Kramer Award 2020: Producers Guild Stanley Kramer Award (won)

## If you liked this

- *The Assistant* (2019), Fi1m 81: A quieter workplace drama, attentive to the small permissions that protect powerful men. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-assistant.md)
- *The Insider* (1999), Fi1m 89: Another corporate reckoning, with more patience for the personal cost of speaking out. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-insider.md)
- *A Face in the Crowd* (1957): For a harsher account of television charm and the appetite for power.
- *Made in Dagenham* (2010): For workplace solidarity allowed more room to develop, with humour and stubbornness.
- *The Newsreader* (2021): Television ambition and private vulnerability, given the breathing room of a series.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/bombshell