The Assistant

Ignore the trailer. It makes this seem like The Assistant is a plot-driven movie with a start, middle and end. It's more of an undercurrent of a film, filled with mundane menace, where nothing really happens while everything is happening. All the drama takes place off screen - on the other end of a phone call or behind a closed door. It never spoon feeds you, just throws you in and makes you work a little to figure it out. Julie Garner is superb (as always) and if you're sick of formulaic films and are up for something more intelligent and thought-provoking, give it a go.

I think Julia Garner is an actor worth watching. However, this film does little to help her career. It goes no where and left me wondering where the rest of the movie was. It felt like a flat line all the way through. The plot seems to be missing.

This film depicts a day in the life of a woman who finds herself in the middle of a culture which perpetuates exploitation and abuse by turning a blind eye to it and schooling newcomers in how to play the game. It won't be to everyone's taste but I found it thoughtful, intelligent and timely film.