Drama

The Assistant

A searing look at a day in the life of an assistant to a powerful executive. As Jane follows her daily routine, she grows increasingly aware of the insidious abuse that threatens every aspect of her position.

Release Date : 2020-01-31

Language :MandarinEnglish

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Forensic FilmsSymbolic ExchangeBellmer Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Jane

Original Name : Julia Garner

Gender : Female

Character Name : Wilcock

Original Name : Matthew Macfadyen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ruby

Original Name : Makenzie Leigh

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sienna

Original Name : Kristine Froseth

Gender : Female

Character Name : Male Assistant 2

Original Name : Jonny Orsini

Gender : Male

Character Name : Male Assistant 1

Original Name : Noah Robbins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Max

Original Name : Alexander Chaplin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boss (voice)

Original Name : Jay O. Sanders

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sasha

Original Name : Juliana Canfield

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ellen

Original Name : Dagmara Dominczyk

Gender : Female

Character Name : Tatiana

Original Name : Bregje Heinen

Gender : Female

Character Name : Tess

Original Name : Clara Wong

Gender : Female

Character Name : Executive Assistant

Original Name : Purva Bedi

Gender : Female

Character Name : Roy

Original Name : Patrick Breen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Executive 1

Original Name : Migs Govea

Gender : Male

Character Name : Executive 2

Original Name : Daoud Heidami

Gender : Male

Character Name : Driver

Original Name : Owen Holland

Gender : Male

Character Name : Executive 3

Original Name : Rory Kulz

Gender : Male

Character Name : Executive 4

Original Name : Ben Maters

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boss

Original Name : Tony Torn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Non-Fiction Executive 1

Original Name : Devon Caraway

Gender : Male

Character Name : Non-Fiction Executive 2

Original Name : Genny Lis Padilla

Gender : Male

Character Name : Postal Worker

Original Name : James Gray

Gender : Male

Character Name : Child 1

Original Name : Sophie Knapp

Gender : Female

Character Name : Child 2

Original Name : Hunter Hojnowski

Gender : Male

Character Name : Business Man 1

Original Name : Andrew Hsu

Gender : Male

Character Name : Business Man 2

Original Name : Ray Sheen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Translator

Original Name : Chester Wai

Gender : Male

Character Name : Edwina

Original Name : Liz Wisan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Executive 5

Original Name : Fang Du

Gender : Male

Character Name : Receptionist 2

Original Name : Cherie Mendez

Gender : Male

Character Name : Amir

Original Name : Kirit Karpadia

Gender : Male

Character Name : Traffic Reporter (voice)

Original Name : Karen Stewart

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gary (voice)

Original Name : Bray Poor

Gender : Male

Character Name : John (voice)

Original Name : Lou Martini Jr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : Javier (voice)

Original Name : Rafael Sardina

Gender : Male

Character Name : Eleanor (voice)

Original Name : Jenna O'Gara

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wife (voice)

Original Name : Stéphanye Dussud

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mom (voice)

Original Name : Heather MacCrae

Gender : Male

Character Name : Maria (voice)

Original Name : Cynthias Bastidas

Gender : Male

Character Name : Amir (voice)

Original Name : Manu Narayan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dad (voice)

Original Name : Mark Jacoby

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man In Elevator (uncredited)

Original Name : Patrick Wilson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Courier (uncredited)

Original Name : Nemuna Ceesay

Gender : Female

Reviews

Louisa Moore - Screen Zealots

@screenzealots

2021-06-23

“The Assistant,” a timely story about abuse of power in the workplace, left me shaken and angry. This quietly devastating film about a young assistant (Julia Garner) to a prominent entertainment executive is inspired by the Me Too movement (and clearly, the bad actions of Harvey Weinstein). The story accurately portrays the weighty emotional toll that stems from knowing something isn’t quite right, but you are powerless to do anything about it. Jane (Garner) is just starting out in her career. She puts in long hours at the New York office of a powerful film exec, and she takes continual emotional and verbal abuse from her boss (whom we never see). There’s nothing glamorous or rewarding about her job, but those around her give constant reminders that she is the lucky one simply because she is employed there. Jane is faced with hostile, degrading comments from almost everyone she comes in contact with, but she quietly goes about her business and tries her best to ignore it. Writer / director Kitty Green chooses to center her methodical, orderly narrative around a female assistant, which makes the film all the more powerful. She uses point of view shots that make it feel as if you’re right there in the office, stepping directly into the character’s shoes. The story takes place over one day in a drab office as Jane begins to see a pattern of events that don’t add up. She’s someone who doesn’t quite know enough to have a clear, undeniable picture of what’s going on, yet she still knows something definitely isn’t quite right. It’s unsettling and effective, and it something to which young women (and some young men) everywhere will sadly relate. When Jane tries to do the right thing, she’s stonewalled by a Hollywood culture where abuse is tolerated, joked about, and covered up — in other words, it’s accepted. She watches as her colleagues joke about these escapades while laughing off her concerns. An unhelpful HR director (the terrific Matthew Macfadyen) dismisses her complaints as “bullshit” and a product of “jealousy,” which is infuriating to watch because it feels so steeped in truth. Even more disturbing is that while eyes have been opened thanks to the “Me Too” movement, this gross misconduct is still going on in offices all over the world. Newsflash to those working in the entertainment industry (and elsewhere): if you don’t speak up, or if you laugh about or shrug off bad behavior, you’re part of the problem. “The Assistant” is a sobering reminder that just because “that’s the way it is” doesn’t make it right.

SWITCH.

@maketheSWITCH

2021-06-23

You'd be hard-pressed to find a film that moves with such unassuming intensity as 'The Assistant', a film that demands full attention from its audience to tell a frustratingly normalised story of frustrating normalised harassment. It's a quiet film brimming with power, one that is not to be missed. - Ashley Teresa Read Ashley's full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-the-assistant-meek-and-mad