Bombshell

Bombshell is currently streaming in Australia on Stan and HBO Max, and in the US on Netflix, and it rewards the patience it asks of you. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. 3,223 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Charlize Theron anchors it with a performance that rewards close attention. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Stan.

Bombshell arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The writing in Bombshell treats its characters as people first, plot devices second. Bombshell is a revealing look inside the most powerful and controversial media empire of all time; and the explosive story of the women who brought down the infamous man who created it. Charlize Theron and Margot Robbie lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2019. The performances in Bombshell do a lot of work in the silences between the dialogue. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Drama fans who appreciate slow-burn storytelling will feel right at home with Bombshell. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Charlize Theron's work here is the kind that gets referenced in career retrospectives. It makes everything else feel thin by comparison.