The Assistant (2020)

Robert Egger’s The Lighthouse (2019) displayed workplace struggles in the Horror genre, but Kitty Green’s The Assistant (2020) displays the horrors of the workplace in the real life genre.





When Jane (played by Julia Garner), an entry level secretary at a production office, goes about her stressful and degrading tasks, her concerns rise, as evidence piles up that her boss is taking advantage of young women who dream to be actors.





Kitty Green’s debut full length feature is the ultimate combination of her past documentary features, all based on the objectification and gaslighting of young women in the entertainment industry. The Assistant patiently displays an entire day of college student Jane, as she comes to grips with the disturbing reality that her boss uses young women for his own pleasure, promising them their dreams. Underpaid and under appreciated, Jane has to show up first and leave last at her entry level office job that shes constantly told to be thankful to have. As she cleans up after everyone, covers up for her boss and endures constantly taunting and belittlement from her male coworkers, Jane discovers that there is no reward in going to College or working towards your dream job, and people will take advantage of their positions in a company because they can. The Assistant reminds us that money has a strong on hold on us all, that were forced to take an opportunity if it means survival, and the most vulnerable are students and young women. These scenarios for these demographics lead to being talked down to and being gaslit, by “higher ups” who should know better who just wanted to cover their financial gain and positions for better or for worse. What’s so frightening in The Assistant, is that it’s subject matter is reality, and the protagonists involved can’t do a thing about it in these workplace/film institutions, where analyizing a woman's looks is paramount . This is what makes #metoo such an important movement, as it not only protects young women and women alike but confronts workplace abuse and gaslighting in general.





Julia Garner does perfect work playing an entry level worker going through the motions of her day to day in an office, and awkwardly and timidly dealing with the heinous and apathetic actions of her co workers and bosses in the cold backdrop of the film industry. Julia Garner accurately matches the mood and tone of the films direction and colour plate, of greyish green tint among thankless and carelessly sardonic characters, as Jane drowns in a sea of hopelessness and numbing. 


Kitty Green's direction is key as she even takes an interesting notion with clothing, using Jane's outer wear as somewhat protection from lechery in a scene with an HR representive that turns into a gaslighting attack, and ends in belittlement with the shaming of a scarf.





Kitty Green’s frighteningly yet calmingly sobering The Assistant is a reminder that everyone who gets taken advantage of in the workplace is somebody’s mother, father, son, daughter, parent, loved one and/or child. And the importance of change is so everyone has protection and solace under the law, and amongst decent people wherever they are. The Assistant is 2020's first important film of the year. 9/10.

• Maurice Jones