Bombshell 2019

                 I enjoyed this idea of this film the moment I heard about it. Bombshell from 2019 is about the true story of the scandal that erupted in 2016 concerning FOX News CEO Roger Ailes and the women that accused him of sexual harassment, one of whom is popular anchorwoman and lawyer Megyn Kelly. 

                The film starts out as a tour and introduction with the character of Megyn Kelly played by Charlize Theron taking us through the New York offices of FOX News and explaining about "The Second Floor" being Roger Ailes' office and "The Eighth Floor" belonging to FOX News owner Rupert Murdoch and his sons, who ultimately have power over even Roger. 

                Almost better than the film, Megyn Kelly herself presented a 30 minute discussion response on her podcast with some of the people represented in the film like Rudi Bakhtiar and Juliet Huddy who also experienced sexual harassment from others at FOX News at the same time.

                Largely, this is Megyn Kelly's story. However, Gretchen Carlson, played in the film by Nicole Kidman, was the one who initially start suing Roger, as it was explained that she couldn't sue FOX News as written in her contract.

                Margot Robbie plays Kayla Pospisil, a mostly fictional character that is a basically young attractive female up-and-comer ambitious starlet that puts herself in Roger Ailes' den to try to get an anchor job at FOX News.  

                On Megyn's show after watching the film, a panel of other female ex-FOX employees and Megyn's husband weigh in on the facts and fiction of the film after watching the film together. Mostly, the response was good, and seen to be truthful. Obviously, a few liberties were taken. But not enough to take away from the main story points of the film. 

                My favorite part of the film deals with how Gretchen Carlson's lawsuit comes to a conclusion. While Roger Ailes denies all of Grechen's claims, it is revealed that she recorded her conversations with Roger to back up her quotes in the lawsuit and to undermine Ailes' credibility when he denies the claims. As such, Roger Ailes settles Carlson's lawsuit for $20 million as well as being fired by Rupert Murdoch. FOX has to pay the victims of the sexual harassment suit $50 million. HOWEVER, FOX pays both Roger Ailes and Bill O'Reilly $65 million in severance. Was it worth it? Was justice served?