I dare you to name something that Jessica Chastain has been in where she wasn't absolutely phenomenal. Go ahead, I'll wait. You can't do it, can you? Well, that would make sense. Chastain is an extremely versatile actress who is exceptional in every role she's in, whether she is playing a naive housewife in The Help, a creepy sister in Crimson Peak, or a totally badass CIA agent in The 355.
Similarly, it no coincidence that I've done two movie reviews in a row featuring Sebastian Stan. Not only is the man on fire this year with two movie releases, and an upcoming television release on Hulu, but he's beloved by my reader base who voted for this movie to be the next review.
I will be honest, this might be biased. I have been waiting for this movie to release… forever. Okay, not forever. It just feels that way when I'm excited for a movie, and, boy, I have been excited for this movie!
Years ago, I took a "Women in Film" course. The first assignment was to come to the first class with a list of films from our own collection that either had a women director, a woman producer, or woman with top-billing. Bonus points if a film had all three. At that point in time I owned over 1,000 movies. I was so daunted by the assignment. However daunted, I was curious. I was astounded by the lack of films that centered around a female lead. I was even more disappointed to come to the realization of how very few women made up the film industry behind the scenes.
Aside from the draw of a female-centric spy movie, that wasn't a parody, the additional draw was that this is a well represented movie. We have come a long way in film in just the last few years for women in film. A female driven movie isn't as uncommon anymore, but to find one that represents other ethnicities and cultures, especially so diversely, is still in need of improvement. The 355 nails it.
This is an action packed movie, with twists and turns, and unexpected friendships. The cinematography was amazing! The use of close-ups, then pulling back during the fight sequences was unique. The unsteady camera in the dialogue scenes really makes for the feeling of being right there. The star-studded cast is incredible from the action sequences, to joking in a bar, or doing a deeply emotional scene. These five women can truly do it all.
The 355 is out in theaters now and just became available to stream at home for early access.
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