Critic Reviews

In one of the well-chose news excerpts from the time, NBC's Tom Brokaw laments: "No one likes what's going on, and there's no real winners. We have gone from shock to discomfort, now to a combination of anger, depression and shame." All of these emotions are palpable in the riveting docudrama. [4-17 Apr 2016, p.20]

Mirroring Hill's demeanor in those incendiary hearings, Washington is all grace under fire, delivering the graphic allegations in a calm, composed and measured manner while nailing every nuance.

While it runs a bit long and can get bogged down with minor details that detract from the overall plot, because it touches on so many important issues--race relations, gender equity, political maneuvering--Confirmation makes for a fascinating look at an important moment from a turbulent decade.

Like the tremendously successful “American Crime Story: The People v O.J. Simpson,” HBO’s new film, the ultra-sharp Confirmation, is a look back at the muddled ’90s, when racism and sexism were shockingly overt, and one could be used to undercut or confuse the other on the public stage.

It's quite a good one. It boasts a brisk pace, strong direction by Rick Famuyiwa and a superb cast led by Kerry Washington as Hill and Wendell Pierce as Thomas.

The only part of the otherwise sophisticated Confirmation that rings false is its closing chyron, which indicates that Hill's case emboldened victims of harassment to speak out and factored into 1992's congressional "year of the woman," in which female candidates won more seats than ever before.

Meticulously produced, cast to the hilt and boasting powerful performances by Kerry Washington and Wendell Pierce in the lead roles.

Washington provides a strong sense of the woman and her complex reactions. Pierce, too, is just right here, with his bottled-up anger. Around them are many small but fine portraits--Alison Wright (Martha on “The Americans”) as Thomas’s supportive wife, Bill Irwin as a nasty Danforth, and Treat Williams as Kennedy, hobbled by his own past. Like Confirmation, they’re sharply etched.

At times Famuyiwa is so concerned with including the myriad supporting players that the film can be more of a competent procedural than a riveting, insightful exploration of a crucial moment in American politics. But those worries are mostly tempered by the slow reveal of the film’s true agenda.

Confirmation is a restrained and tasteful retelling. Maybe a little too much so. ... But what keeps Confirmation watchable are vivid performances by a terrific cast.