The Assistant (2020)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The page content is blocked, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No specific praise or complaint is available from the text shown.

The supplied page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It also provides no praise or complaint to identify.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The accessible page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It also provides no praise or complaint to report.

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.