Religious Iconography & Cassie as Avenging Angel / Promising Young Woman Analysis

Avenging angel or devil in disguise? By day, Promising Young Woman's Cassie is as innocent as can be, but by night she sheds her angel wings and embarks on her revenge mission, seeking out not-so-innocent men who prey on intoxicated women.

A modern rape-revenge thriller, Emerald Fennel's directorial debut stars Carey Mulligan in an Oscar nominated role as Cassie, a 30 year old coffee shop worker who spends her evenings masquerading as a heavily intoxicated party girl at nightclubs and bars, hoping to entice a typical 'nice guy' who will offer to take her home with darker ulterior motives in mind.

In this video essay, we take a look at the use of religious iconography throughout the film and how it is used to frame Cassie as an avenging angel for her friend who was raped and later died by suicide as a result.

We attempt to dig down deeper into the meaning of the film, why it earned a spot in the Best Picture category for the Oscars 2021, and what the ending was all about!

Promising Young Woman is an extremely relevant and timely movie that shines a torch light on rape culture, modern feminism, depression, survivor's guilt, and what it means to be a woman in the 21st century.

Whilst the movie has divided many critics and viewers who see it as either poetic and symbolic or a major case of style over substance, you can be sure that it's definitely one to watch this year!

We hope you enjoyed this video!

🕒 TIMESTAMPS🕒
0:00​ The Politics of Rape Revenge Films
1:33 Promising Young Woman Plot Summary
2:48 Religious Iconography Examples
5:20 Cassie's Mission
6:11 Promising Young Woman Ending Explained
8:27 Final Thoughts

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