Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
Writer/director: Kitty Green, Rialto Distribution.
Cast: Julia Garner, Matthew Macfadyen, Makenzie Leigh, Kristine Froseth.
Real-life stories are the inspiration behind The Assistant, a role played admirably by Emmy-winning Julia Garner (Ozark, The Americans) as Jane, a college graduate and aspiring film producer.
As a junior assistant to a powerful entertainment mogul in New York, this is a dream job for Jane. This is an intense look at the life of an assistant to an executive, referred to as ‘he’ and not named. He’s not seen, but he can be heard even though we can’t understand the words. Her day is much like any other assistant’s – making coffee, changing the paper in the copy machine, onboarding a new hire, ordering lunch, arranging travel and taking phone messages.
Jane has only been on the job for five weeks, and learns to adapt to the semi-terrifying office culture. She works side-by-side with two male assistants, and occasionally has to go up to other floors to deliver new script drafts for forthcoming projects.
It all unfolds during one very long day, when Jane comes to sense that something may not be quite ‘right’ with her boss. It’s also apparent in the company he created, and an environment that guards, disregards, refutes what is really going on.
While Jane follows her daily routine, not only she, but we slowly begin to understand the shady behaviours and practises in use. There is an awareness of the abuse that surreptitiously shades every aspect of her work day, a collection of degradations against which Jane decides to take a stand, only to discover the true depth of the system into which she has entered.
Mostly working through suggestion, the hopelessness of Jane’s predicament is obvious as she goes about her ordinary everyday tasks.
A 2019 American drama, The Assistant is co-produced and co-edited by the talented Kitty Green (Casting JonBenet, Ukraine Is Not a Brothel) who tightly maintains control over the film.
In 2017, a series of shattering exposés leveled allegations of sexual assault across the entertainment industry, unearthing a watershed moment and sending powerful predators running for cover. Documentary filmmaker Green knew she had found the subject for her first narrative film as the courage of outspoken accusers inspired women in all industries to step forward and say “me too”. It’s not the misdeeds of one person, but the entrenched system that supports the many.
The Assistant Video on Demand is available to rent via Foxtel On Demand. It will also be available to Rent On Demand, via multiple platforms, from 10 June.
