Promising Young Woman Plays with Genre to Challenge Sexual Assault Narratives in Film

Emerald Fennell’s (2020) debut film Promising Young Woman mixes genres to complicate the feminist tenet “the personal is political.” Coinciding with the transformational impact of the #metoo movement, the film—at once (romantic) comedy, horror, and drama—depicts a woman’s trauma as she attempts to find meaning following her best friend’s sexual assault and subsequent suicide. The film portrays the pervasiveness of rape culture in innovative ways that challenge audiences’ expectations of the rape-revenge genre. Via feminist rhetorical and film analysis techniques—focusing on the portrayal of girlishness, masculinities, and violence—this article studies the film’s articulation of the ways sexual assault ripples through and ruptures families, friendships, and romantic relationships.