17 Things That Happen In "Promising Young Woman" Which Range From Unexpected To Shockingly Dark

    I need to talk about this movie!

    Sam Cleal
    by Sam Cleal

    BuzzFeed Staff

    🚨 This list contains MAJOR SPOILERS! 🚨 So, if you haven't seen the movie yet, I would give it a watch before you read on.

    Also, TW for references to sexual assault, suicide, and rape.

    If you haven't seen Promising Young Woman yet then you simply must! The female revenge thriller starring an ensemble cast is one of the most important films to happen in the last few years.

    Merie Weismiller Wallace/Focus Features

    The movie is written and directed by Emerald Fennell in her feature directorial debut, and stars Carey Mulligan as a "promising young woman" struggling to cope after the rape and presumably subsequent suicide of her friend Nina in college.

    The movie, which was released in the US late last year, is an intimate exploration of issues around sex, consent, trauma, and a whole host of other important issues. It's totally unflinching, and very suspense-filled, I can assure you!

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    Anyway, here are just a few things that happen in the movie, which range from surprising to dark AF. Also, this is your final warning for spoilers! If you haven't seen the movie – and I think you should – don't read any further!

    1. When Jerry (Adam Brody) pretends to escort a drunk Cassie (Carey Mulligan) home after a night out, but he instead takes her back to his apartment for sex.

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    You think he's the nice guy and then BOOM, he does that!

    2. But then it turns out that Cassie is only ~pretending~ to be drunk – oh snap!

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    That's the face of man who got PLAYED.

    3. When the movie's writer-director Emerald Fennell appears on a fake version of YouTube giving a "blowjob lips" tutorial.

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    Kylie Jenner lip challenge eat your heart out.

    4. The second time Cassie "switches" on a guy. His name is Neil (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), and it's honestly one of greatest five minutes of cinema I've ever seen!

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    This is lowkey my favourite scene in the entire film.

    5. When Cassie spits in Ryan's (Bo Burnham) coffee and he drinks it.

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    Cassie's old classmate Ryan is really into her. Like, he'll-drink-her-spit, into her...

    6. When Ryan dances and sings to "Stars Are Blind" by Paris Hilton in a newsagent.

    Merie Weismiller Wallace/Focus Features

    It's just so unexpected and random! Although, I'm more of a "Nothing in This World" kind of guy.

    7. When Cassie's parents Stanley (Clancy Brown) and Susan (Jennifer Coolidge) buy her a suitcase for her birthday.

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    Is there a pettier way to say – "you've overstayed your welcome, get out of my house"? Also, shout-out to Jennifer Coolidge's brunette bob! I've literally never seen without her trademark long blonde hair.

    8. The scene where Cassie invites an old school friend named Madison (Alison Brie) to lunch and seemingly has her date-raped.

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    She actually isn't raped, but Cassie does let her think she's been assaulted. Which is still terrible.

    9. When Cassie abducts a young girl named Amber (Francisca Estevez) from her school under the guise that she is a make-up artist on a job for a popular boy band.

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    It concerns me how good Cassie is at faking this.

    10. And then when she pretends she's left Amber in a dorm room full of college guys in order to coerce Amber's mother, Dean Elizabeth (Connie Britton), into admitting she was wrong to dismiss Nina back when she reported her assault to her.

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    In fact, Amber is in a diner waiting for her favourite band to not turn up.

    11. When Cassie randomly smashes up a guy's car in the middle of traffic.

    Merie Weismiller Wallace/Focus Features

    Yeah... Cassie isn't particularly handling her trauma very well.

    12. The moment when a guy (Sam Richardson) gets upset with Cassie for not allowing him the opportunity to have sex with her while she's drunk and uninhibited.

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    When Cassie lets slip that she's secretly sober, he literally runs away like a petulant child. I mean, WOW.

    13. When Cassie goes to lawyer Jordan Green's (Alfred Molina) house to have him "hurt" for bullying Nina into dropping her case years ago, but she instead ends up forgiving him.

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    Cassie = three-dimensional character.

    14. When we find out that Ryan was present at Nina's rape and watched her being assaulted by Al Monroe (Chris Lowell).

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    A "Stars Are Blind" dance break is definitely not gonna make up for this.

    15. When Al kills Cassie by smothering her with a pillow.

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    If you didn't think this Al guy was a bad seed before...

    16. And then when Al's friend Joe (Max Greenfield) tells him he did nothing wrong!

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    So Joe knows that Al raped a woman in college, and now he's just killed another woman, but he's still done nothing wrong!?!?!?!?! WTAF.

    17. And finally, when Cassie arranges for Al to be arrested for her murder in the middle of his wedding.

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    This is the pièce de résistance of Promising Young Woman! Ah... the power of scheduled messages.

    Promising Young Woman is now available on Sky Cinema & NOW.

    What did you think of the film? Share your thoughts in the comments below.