On the Basis of Sex **** (2018, Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux, Sam Waterston, Kathy Bates, Cailee Spaeny, Jack Reynor) – Movie Review

Felicity Jones is excellent in On the Basis of Sex (2018) as American pioneer female lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who battles for equal rights for women and reaches the top of her profession as U S Supreme Court Associate Justice.

Director Mimi Leder’s true story film is brisk, fast moving, involving, gripping, well acted and informative – and entertaining too.

Writer Daniel Stiepleman writes a brilliant star part for a woman, which Jones eats up, but he does not neglect the supporting male roles – and there is plenty for Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux and Sam Waterston to do as husband Martin Ginsburg, civil rights organiser Mel Wulf and wicked old lawyer Erwin Griswold, the male chauvinist head of Harvard Law School. And they do it very well. They are all very lively. Kathy Bates, Cailee Spaeny (as Ginsburg’s daughter) and Jack Reynor are less effective in thinly written roles.

Felicity Jones is not obvious casting as she is so English, so they have done a grand job making her into an honorary American, and they do a good job on the ageing makeup too, as well as the frocks and the period settings. It all feels right and ‘real’.

By rights the film should be called On the Basis of Gender, but that probably would not sell many tickets.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Movie Review

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