Given that America has been riveted by the workings of national government, Miss Sloane couldn’t be more perfectly positioned in the options of movies to go see this holiday season. President-Elect Donald Trump’s call to “Drain the Swamp” has searing relevancy in this fictional account of a lobbyist on Capitol Hill.
But don’t eschew the movie if you are sick of politics – the movie has so much more to offer than its timely setting.
There are three strong female leads in this movie who offer multi-dimension characters. Lobbyist Elizabeth Sloane’s steely character is exquisitely played by Jessica Chastain; Alison Pill, as Jane Molloy, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, as Esme Manucharian provide equally strong acting performances. It’s fascinating to watch these three women make various ethical decisions in a complex moral environment. Movie goer Stephanie found this to be the most intriguing aspect of the film: “Each woman makes a choice, one not necessarily morally more correct than the other, but intriguing to watch their choices play-out.” Stephanie really enjoyed the film, stating as soon as she left the theater: “That was fantastic!”
There are strong male roles as well. Jon Lithgow plays Congressman Ronald L. Sperling, and Sam Waterson plays the head of a top-tier Washington D.C. lobbying firm.
The movie does take a point-of-view on one specific issue that is dominating current national debates. This may irritate viewers who hold the opposite opinion. However, all the twists and turns of the movie, and the characters’ own struggles to find the line between power and morality, create a fast moving experience that keeps you engaged with the plot and the characters well into the credits.
Movie times: click here
Genre: Drama
Director: John Madden
Actors: Jessica Chastaine, John Lithgow, Sam Waterson, Alison Pill, Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Rating: R – For some language and sexuality
Running Time: 132 minutes
