---
title: "The Assistant"
year: 2020
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-assistant"
fi1m_id: "the-assistant"
imdb_id: "tt9000224"
tmdb_id: 627463
wikidata_id: "Q65064146"
fi1m_score: 81
critics_score: 77
critics_reviews: 25
published: "2026-09-27T08:27:12.709055+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-27T08:27:26.241078+00:00"
region: "CZ"
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."
---

# The Assistant (2020)

Directed by Kitty Green · 1h 28m · Drama

## Identity

The Assistant

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-assistant
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** the-assistant
- **IMDb ID:** tt9000224
- **TMDB ID:** 627463
- **Wikidata ID:** Q65064146
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9000224/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/627463, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q65064146

**Fi1m score: 81** · Critics 77 from 25 reviews

*In a sentence:* Eighty-eight minutes of photocopying and coffee, and we have rarely been so frightened of a shut door

> Kitty Green follows a junior assistant through one day at a film company whose boss is a voice on the phone. It is exact, quiet and hard to shake, and Julia Garner carries it almost without lines.

## Synopsis

Jane (Julia Garner), a junior assistant at a film production company, is driven in before dawn and dropped at a dark office. She makes coffee, prints the schedules and cleans the boss’s office, picking an earring off the carpet. The boss (voiced by Jay O. Sanders) is heard on the telephone and never seen. His wife, Ellen (Dagmara Dominczyk), rings to ask where he is. When Jane says the wrong thing, he shouts down the line and two male assistants (Jonny Orsini, Noah Robbins) dictate her apology email. Then Sienna (Kristine Froseth), a waitress from Idaho hired as an assistant, arrives, and Jane is told to take her to a hotel.

## Review

Kitty Green made documentaries before this, among them *Casting JonBenet*, and she has built *The Assistant* the way a documentary is built: one day, one office, one person, and a camera that does not go anywhere she cannot go. Jane (Julia Garner) is driven into the city before it is light and the film stays with her until she is driven home after dark. Nothing in between would count as an event anywhere else. She prints schedules, orders lunch, washes mugs, books a hotel, takes messages. We recommend it, and we should say plainly that the first half hour is meant to be a grind and that the grind is the point.

The morning is cleaning. Jane lifts a cushion on the boss’s sofa and scrubs at a stain underneath. She finds an earring on the carpet and puts it in a drawer. She picks a syringe out of a bin and says nothing. The boss’s wife, Ellen (Dagmara Dominczyk), rings twice to find out where her husband is, and Jane lies to her because that is the job. When the boss (Jay O. Sanders, a voice and a doorway and never a face) rings to shout at her, the two male assistants at the next desks (Jonny Orsini and Noah Robbins) stand behind her chair and tell her what to type. She is grateful for the opportunity. She will not let it happen again. Green has this happen twice, and the second time we understood that the email is not meant to fix anything. It is a form to be filled in.

Michael Latham shoots the office under its own ceiling lights with the blinds down, in greys and beiges, and he likes to put Jane at the far side of a wide frame so that the corridor behind her, and the door at the end of it, takes up more of the picture than she does. Fletcher Chancey’s production design gives us a row of desks, a glass partition, a kitchen with a bad coffee machine and a boss’s office we mostly see from outside. Tamar-kali’s score barely exists; what we hear for most of the 88 minutes is the photocopier, the phones, the lift and the hum of the lights. Green and Blair McClendon cut without hurry and refuse to shorten the chores, so when a print job takes a while, we wait for it.

Garner has perhaps two hundred words of dialogue and does the rest with her shoulders. She plays fear as good manners: a small nod, a tidy voice, eyes that go to the floor a fraction before anyone has said anything. When Sienna (Kristine Froseth) turns up from Idaho, a waitress with a new job she cannot describe and a hotel room she has not paid for, Jane takes her there in a taxi, and Garner’s face in the back seat is the film’s argument in one shot. We knew what she knew, and we knew she would go back to her desk.

She goes instead to Human Resources, to Wilcock (Matthew Macfadyen), and we will not tell you how that meeting ends. We will say it is the best scene in the film. Macfadyen plays a reasonable man who is on her side, who offers water and listens and asks sensible questions, and who by the end of a few minutes has made Jane feel that the problem in the room is her. We were angry when the scene finished, and we were still angry on the walk home, and it was not because anyone shouted. Nobody in this film ever shouts to her face.

It has limits, and Green chose them. Jane has no life outside the day: a call to her parents, a line about wanting to produce, and that is all. It keeps the film honest and it keeps her thin. The boss is a voice, a shadow behind frosted glass, and a rumble in the sound mix, and once or twice the mix turns him into something under the bed when the film is stronger treating him as a man who eats lunch. Some critics found the whole thing inert. We can see why. The method has one setting and it never changes gear.

It is 88 minutes and a 15 certificate. Watch it on a weeknight, after work, when you have already done a smaller version of Jane’s day. It will not feel much like a film then, which is what Green was after.

*Fi1m score 81, published 27 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics are firmly on the film’s side. The praise gathers in two places. The first is Julia Garner, whose performance as Jane is repeatedly described as restrained and physically eloquent, carrying fear, ambition and heartbreak with almost no dialogue. The second is Kitty Green’s method: the boss is never shown, and the case against him and the office that protects him is built from mundane detail, long silences and small acts of collusion.

The reservations attach to that same restraint. A minority find the pace slow, the protagonist thinly drawn and the ending unresolved. The spread is wide, from a cluster of top marks to one outright dismissal, and the harshest notices come from the festival premiere. Variety finds the film too generic to grip, The Hollywood Reporter calls it dry, and Collider thinks it arrives too late to say anything new. Slant admires the craft but argues the unseen mogul becomes lurid and mythologised.

## Straight answers

**Is The Assistant worth watching?**

*The Assistant* is worth watching for anyone with patience for a slow, exact drama about one day in a film company office, and we scored it 81. The first half hour is deliberately a grind of coffee, photocopying and cleaning, and the method never changes gear. Julia Garner carries it almost without lines, and the Human Resources scene left us angry long after the credits.

**How long is The Assistant, and what is it rated?**

*The Assistant* runs 1h 28m. It is a drama film.

**Where can I watch The Assistant in Czechia?**

*The Assistant* is not on any streaming or rental service in Czechia at the moment. It is available in 22 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

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

*The Assistant* is a 15 certificate with no violence on screen, and nobody ever shouts to Jane's face. What frightens is implied: an earring on a carpet, a syringe in a bin, a young woman delivered to a hotel, a boss heard only through a wall. It is not for children, and the subject of workplace abuse suits adults and older teenagers rather than younger viewers.

**How does The Assistant compare to Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles?**

*The Assistant* is the shorter and more accessible film, and [*Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles*](https://film.one/film/jeanne-dielman-23-quai-du-commerce-1080-bruxelles) is the more demanding and the greater achievement. Both watch one woman's routine so closely that a small slip becomes unbearable, but Green compresses it into 88 minutes of office chores while Akerman takes 202 minutes of housework. Start with Green if your patience is finite.

### Reviews we read (25)

- **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (5/5): O’Sullivan sees the film as a sharp, wide-reaching indictment of sexual bullies and the workplaces that enable them. She especially praises Julia Garner’s performance for conveying Jane’s ambition alongside her constrained, vulnerable position. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-assistant-review-a-wide-scoped-skewering-of-sexual-bullies-a4429246.html)
- **The Independent**, Clarisse Loughrey (5/5): Loughrey calls the film a devastating, unvarnished portrait of complicity and powerlessness. She praises Julia Garner’s nuanced performance, which conveys Jane’s fear and heartbreak without needing much dialogue. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/the-assistant-review-kitty-green-harvey-weinstein-metoo-director-cast-a9489591.html)
- **Time Out**, Tomris Laffly (5/5): The review presents the film as a harrowing, sharply observed account of abuse protected by power. It praises the film’s probing depiction of the predator’s fearful, cowed surroundings. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-assistant)
- **Vulture**, Alison Willmore (90/100, inferred): Willmore calls the film a spare, searing account of abuse and complicity, praising its focus on the workplace structures that enable predation. She also singles out the film’s detached observation of Jane as especially effective. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2020/01/the-assistant-review-the-first-great-me-too-movie.html)
- **The Guardian**, Mark Kermode (85/100, inferred): Kermode calls the drama impressively chilling and powerful in its understated portrayal of workplace abuse. He praises Julia Garner’s physically eloquent performance and Kitty Green’s decision to keep the predatory boss unseen. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/may/03/the-assistant-review-julia-garner-kitty-green-me-too-office-drama-weinstein)
- **IndieWire**, Eric Kohn (B+): Kohn finds the film a fascinating, haunting illustration of workplace oppression, though its slow pace and unresolved ending weaken Jane’s story. He particularly praises Julia Garner’s finely detailed performance and the film’s meticulous portrayal of the toxic office atmosphere. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/the-assistant-review-julia-garner-harvey-weinstein-1202170446/)
- **Empire**, Ella Kemp (80/100, inferred): Kemp finds the film a stirring, sophisticated examination of an ongoing injustice. She particularly praises Julia Garner’s controlled, emotionally powerful performance and the film’s use of silence. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/the-assistant/)
- **Little White Lies**, Hannah Strong (4/4/4): Strong finds the film powerful and essential viewing for anyone working within a power structure. She praises its austere approach and Julia Garner’s quietly compelling portrayal of Jane’s isolation. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-assistant)
- **The i Paper**, Joseph Walsh (★★★★): Walsh finds the film timely and terrifying in its depiction of workplace misogyny. He especially praises its chilling portrayal of how everyday acts of collusion keep that culture unchecked. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/the-assistant-review-berlin-film-festival-harvey-weinstein-drama-terrifying-workplace-sexism-402112)
- **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (80/100, inferred): Brody finds the film emotionally devastating and conceptually powerful, presenting it as a chilling study of complicity and coercion. He praises its accumulation of mundane office details that reveal how Jane is conditioned to ignore what she sees. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/the-chilling-power-of-the-assistant)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (75/100, inferred): Turan finds the film an arresting, restrained drama about workplace abuse. He praises its minimalist, documentary-influenced style for making the office’s culture of psychological abuse feel credible. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-01-30/assistant-review-julia-garner)
- **Slant Magazine**, Chuck Bowen (3/4): Bowen finds the film aesthetically and tonally immaculate, but ultimately too narrow and too comfortable with its thesis. He praises its precise compositions and perceptive details while criticizing its unseen mogul for becoming lurid and mythologized. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-assistant-review-julia-garner-kitty-green/)
- **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (67/100, inferred): The visible text presents Green’s film as a restrained drama about abuse of power. It singles out the Hollywood mogul’s production office as the setting for that examination. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-assistant-review/5146717.article)
- **RogerEbert.com** (64/100, inferred): The page content is blocked, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No specific praise or complaint is available from the text shown. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-assistant-movie-review-2020)
- **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The supplied page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It also provides no praise or complaint to identify. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/30/movies/the-assistant-review.html)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (50/100, inferred): McCarthy finds the film intermittently effective and insightful, though its restrained approach ultimately feels dry and its protagonist remains underdeveloped. He praises its sustained tension and exacting evocation of a particular moment in film-industry history. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/assistant-review-1235973/)
- **Variety**, Peter Debruge (30/100, inferred): Debruge finds the film too restrained and generic to engage deeply with its subject. He praises Julia Garner’s exquisitely subtle performance, while faulting the film for lacking specificity and dramatic momentum. [Read](https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/the-assistant-review-1203320485/)
- **Polygon**, Karen Han (90/100, inferred): Han calls the film extraordinary, praising its clear-eyed portrayal of an abusive workplace without sensationalizing events. She singles out Green’s subtle focus on the everyday structures and bystanders that enable abuse. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/hulu/2020/4/29/21241083/the-assistant-review-kitty-green-julia-garner-harvey-weinstein-streaming-amazon/)
- **The Ringer**, Adam Nayman (90/100, inferred): Nayman calls the film extraordinary and one of the year's best American films. He especially praises Julia Garner's nuanced performance and the film's bleak, carefully constructed workplace world. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2020/04/28/movies/the-assistant-movie-review-weinstein-julia-garner)
- **Digital Spy**, Gabriella Geisinger (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the film compelling and engaging without becoming heavy-handed. She praises how its small, mundane moments build tension and reveal an oppressive system. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a32285030/the-assistant-movie-review-watch-online/)
- **HeyUGuys** (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the film compelling, powerful and important. They praise its minutely observed office details for making its portrayal of workplace abuse feel recognizable and unsettling. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-assistant-review/)
- **Eye for Film**, Amber Wilkinson (75/100, inferred): Wilkinson finds the film an incisive and absorbing portrait of how toxic masculinity shapes a workplace. She praises its close attention to the details of Jane’s day and Julia Garner’s expressive, restrained performance. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-assistant-2019-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson)
- **The Wrap** (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the film patient-testing but ultimately sneakily impactful and devastating. They single out Julia Garner’s subtle performance, especially in Jane’s anxious visit to Human Resources. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/the-assistant-film-review-julia-garner-metoo/)
- **The Playlist** (64/100, inferred): The accessible page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It also provides no praise or complaint to report. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/the-assistant-telluride-review-20190902/)
- **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (C+): Goldberg finds the film inert and too late to add fresh insights to the conversation. He praises Green’s precise direction and the restrained performance that immerse viewers in the office’s cold, casually cruel culture. [Read](https://collider.com/the-assistant-review/)

## Details

- **Director:** Kitty Green
- **Director:** Kitty Green
- **Writer:** Kitty Green
- **Cinematography:** Michael Latham
- **Editor:** Kitty Green, Blair McClendon
- **Music:** Tamar-kali
- **Production design:** Fletcher Chancey
- **Producer:** Scott Macaulay, P. Jennifer Dana, James Schamus
- **Cast:** Julia Garner as Jane; Matthew Macfadyen as Wilcock; Makenzie Leigh as Ruby; Kristine Froseth as Sienna; Jonny Orsini as Male Assistant 2; Noah Robbins as Male Assistant 1; Alexander Chaplin as Max; Jay O. Sanders as Boss (voice)
- **Runtime:** 1h 28m
- **First release (the US):** 30 August 2019
- **Genres:** Drama
- **Box office:** $1 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sow78oHyowA

## Where to watch in Czechia

Not streaming, renting or buying in Czechia at the last check.

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, FR, GB, IE, IN, JP, MX, NL, NZ, PA, UA, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles* (1975), Fi1m 72: Three days of one woman’s housework, and the moment the routine slips is unbearable. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/jeanne-dielman-23-quai-du-commerce-1080-bruxelles.md)
- *Working Girls* (1986): Lizzie Borden’s shift in a Manhattan brothel, filmed as flat, tired labour.
- *Compliance* (2012): A fast-food manager takes orders from a voice on the phone; nobody says no.
- *The Chambermaid* (2018): A Mexico City hotel maid, floor by floor, waiting for a promotion that keeps receding.
- *Casting JonBenet* (2017): Green’s earlier documentary, where the audition process says more than any verdict could.

---
© 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/the-assistant