We are fed politics on a daily basis through television, print and social media and gossip, and are awestruck by the power it has, and intrigued by the back-stabbing, corruption and mendacity that feed this beast.
Miss Sloane takes us on an intimate and invigorating journey into the high-stakes world of political power-brokers, with Jessica Chastain in the title role of the most sought-after and formidable lobbyist in D.C.
Known equally for her cunning and her track record of success, she has always done whatever is required to win. But when she takes on the most powerful opponent of her career, she finds that winning may come at too high a price.
The crafty narrative by former lawyer Jonathan Perera marks the writer’s first screenplay which sizzles under John Madden’s direction; Madden fully understands the world and lives of the characters and respectfully brings the story to life, perfectly capturing its enigmatic allure, cruel callousness, and dazzling power games.
If there’s one reason to see this film, it’s for Chastain’s captivating performance, as she skilfully walks the tightrope between a highly secretive personal life, and an even more guarded cutthroat career.
When she needs to satisfy her sexual urges, we meet a gloomy and lonesome woman who is fragile and vulnerable, when she faces her shrewd adversaries and conniving rivals, Sloane is a cold and calculated killing machine, a ferocious predator who pushes legal and ethical boundaries to ensure the passage of a controversial law.
It is through her eyes that we pull back the curtain on the secretive and powerful lobbying industry, revealing how Capitol Hill games are played — and won (or lost).
Sam Waterston is excellent as the head of an old-school lobbying firm, allowing Miss Sloane to do whatever it takes for her clients — even if that means bending the rules.
But when the head of the powerful gun lobby calls on her to help convince women to oppose a bill that will impose new regulations on the sale of firearms, she turns him down flat and instead joins a scrappy boutique firm representing the backers of the law.
Alongside the firm’s CEO (Mark Strong) and a group of young up-and-comers, Miss Sloane schemes, manoeuvres and manipulates her way to what could be a stunning victory, but her zeal for winning threatens both her career and the people she cares about.
The film is at its most powerful when Sloane is severely compromised, vulnerable and under investigation by the Senate, and meets her match in the form of Senator Sperling, a long-serving democratic legislator who chairs the Senate committee investigating Miss Sloane, featuring a brilliant performance by John Lithgow.
Miss Sloane is a powerful character-driven narrative that showcases some other great acting talent: Mark Strong is ruthless as Sloane’s new boss, the brilliant CEO of a boutique D.C. lobbying outfit who fights hard to win for his clients, but never crosses the line, legally or ethically. Gugu Mbatha-Raw is riveting as a poised, well-informed associate lobbyist who becomes Sloane’s new protégée and for whom gun safety is a major issue. Alison Pill is perfectly cast as a junior associate who turns against Sloane, and Jake Lacey impresses in his role of a male escort who develops an unusual connection with Sloane.
Miss Sloane is one of those rare films that cunningly manipulates its audience just as a master lobbyist can, and when a vicious twist is ultimately revealed, we fully understand how politics work, and awaken to realise that the art of politics is the art of manipulating, where you cannot believe anything or trust anybody.
One thing you can absolutely trust is that Miss Sloane is a well-crafted film with top performances that provide first rate entertainment for discerning audiences seeking savvy viewing that leaves plenty food for thought.
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