Miss Sloane

Directed by John Madden
Starring Jessica Chastain, Mark Strong, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Stuhlbarg, Alison Pill, Jake Lacy, Sam Waterston and John Lithgow
In UK Cinemas May 12th, 2017
Watch on iTunes (US)

by Joanna Orland

While the film gives off a sense of how clever it thinks it is, Miss Sloane just misses the mark with its dry tone and clunky dialogue. Jessica Chastain leads a star-studded cast as Miss Sloane herself, navigating the political world of lobbying, playing the game better than all who she encounters. “Lobbying is about foresight,” she says, and foresight is what the audience seems to have as while there are twist and turns galore, none make much of an emotional impact in this entertaining but middling dramatic thriller.

Whether or not Sloane believes in a cause, she lobbies to win. She is a strong character and in one sense a good role model for females, but in another, she demonstrates a terrible model of morality as she is willing to win at all costs. A truly one-dimensional character, Sloane gives up any personal life to focus solely on winning at work. In the hands of a lesser actress, this role would have been solely a stereotype. Luckily Chastain is engaging to watch even with material that doesn’t allow her best to shine through.

Cold, dry and hugely conversational, Miss Sloane is an entertaining film to watch, but lacks the powerful emotion and humanity to make this a truly great film.