May 1, 2020 “The Assistant” (** out of four) was a pointless melodrama about a young assistant (Julia Garner) at a high-level executive company who soon becomes aware of the insidious abuse and malevolence that occurs at her company and she finds herself at a personal and emotional crossroads of how to proceed onward. Timely subject matter is heavy-handedly dealt with and results are strange and muted. Garner is strong in the lead but her character is so one-note and thinly defined that it’s hard to get involved with her or the movie. Even so, this won substantial praise when it premiered at the Telluride Film Festival. Continue reading →
dlepikcom 