Promising Young Woman 2020

The film opens in a vibrant nightclub where friends Jerry, Paul, and Jim are enjoying their drinks. They soon spot a young woman, Cassandra “Cassie” Thomas, who appears too inebriated to help herself. As Paul and Jim make crude remarks, Jerry takes a more compassionate approach, deciding to support her and bring her safely to his apartment. However, things take a dark turn when he starts to kiss her and tries to undress her, leading to a shocking revelation when Cassie, having faked her drunkenness, confronts him directly. A terrified Jerry is left speechless as Cassie reveals her clarity.

The following morning, Cassie walks home with red stains on her clothes—a playful misinterpretation of jelly from her doughnut rather than something sinister. However, she finds herself being catcalled by a group of construction workers, which she dismisses with a blank stare. It’s revealed that Cassie, around 30 years old, still lives with her parents, Stanley and Susan, and works an uninspiring job as a waitress, where she often displays apathy toward customers. An unexpected encounter occurs when her former med school peer, Ryan Cooper, drops by the coffee shop. Their interaction turns sour when Cassie retaliates to his advances by spitting in his coffee, yet he remains undeterred and requests a date, to which she reacts by giving him a fake number.

Later, Cassie meets a sleazy man named Neil, who attempts to lure her into his world of drugs and sexism. When Cassie asserts her desire to leave, revealing her sobriety, Neil is taken aback. She confronts him, exposing his predatory intentions, before walking out of his apartment.

As her birthday approaches, her parents gift her a pink briefcase, signaling their desire for her to become independent, which she perceives as an indication of their disappointment with her life choices. Ryan returns, now aware of her deception, and eventually wins her over for a date. While together, he casually mentions an upcoming wedding of an old acquaintance, Alexander “Al” Monroe, which deeply unsettles Cassie. The mention brings back painful memories of her best friend, Nina Fisher, who was assaulted by Al during their college years. Despite their reports, the incident went largely ignored, leading to tragic consequences.

As social media fills with congratulatory messages for Al]( /actor/chris-lowe), Cassie reaches out to Madison McPhee to discuss the past. Over drinks, Cassie works to extract information regarding Al, but Madison minimizes the severity of the incident, prompting Cassie to leave both her company and a lingering sense of betrayal. Later, Cassie’s search for justice leads her to manipulate a young girl named Amber, under the guise of a band job, only to confront Dean Elizabeth Walker about the negligence surrounding Nina’s case.

Seeking retribution, she confronts Jordan Greene, a former lawyer who failed to support Nina during her grievance. In an unexpectedly emotional moment, Greene expresses his remorse, and Cassie forgives him, remarking that her quest is far from over. This ongoing obsession leads her to visit Nina’s mother, Mrs. Fisher, culminating in a discussion about the need to move on.

A tense encounter unfolds when Cassie attempts her plan with Paul before running into Ryan again. After some back and forth, they share a moment of reconciliation, only for Madison to bring important news about the past incidents involving Al. Madison shares a video of Al’s crime, leading Cassie to confront Ryan for answers regarding the bachelor party.

On the night of the party, Cassie dons a stripper costume, luring Al into a dangerous game. She manages to handcuff him while illuminating the horror of his actions towards Nina. Instead of remorse, Al tries to utilize outdated excuses for his behavior, leading to a chilling confrontation. In a turn of events, amidst Cassie’s determination, Al resorts to violence, resulting in her tragic fate.

Days later, the investigation into Cassie’s disappearance unfolds, leading to her parents filing a missing persons report. As her friends and Ryan panic over the possibility of her fate, everything reaches a climax on the day of Al’s wedding. Unbeknownst to him, Cassie has orchestrated a plan involving revealing the truth—a video that not only showcases his past actions but also ignites chaos at the ceremony, ensuring Nina’s story cannot be forgotten. The film concludes with consequences as the police discover Cassie’s remains, the heartbreak of her loved ones, and the unsettling realization that her battle for justice was far from in vain.