MISS SLOANE (2016)

Summary:

Miss Sloane is a gripping political thriller that delves into the cutthroat world of Washington D.C. lobbying, centering on the formidable and uncompromising Elizabeth Sloane. Renowned for her brilliant, albeit ethically ambiguous, tactics, Sloane is a top-tier lobbyist who thrives on winning, no matter the cost. The film begins with her rejecting an offer to represent the gun lobby, instead choosing to join a smaller, boutique firm to fight *against* them in the contentious debate over a new gun control bill, the Heaton-Harris Act, which proposes universal background checks.

As Sloane meticulously orchestrates her campaign, employing a mixture of strategic brilliance, psychological manipulation, and outright deception, she faces intense scrutiny and a powerful counter-lobbying effort from her former firm and the entrenched gun lobby. The narrative is framed by a congressional hearing investigating Sloane's past professional conduct, revealing her calculated and often ruthless methods. The film is a high-stakes chess match, exploring themes of morality, ambition, and the true price of victory in a system where power and influence often trump principle. It culminates in a shocking twist that redefines everything the audience thought they knew about Sloane's motivations and master plan.

Keywords: Miss Sloane, 2016, Jessica Chastain, Mark Strong, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, John Lithgow, Political Thriller, Drama, Lobbying, Gun Control.

Plot:

The film opens with Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain), a highly successful and notoriously ruthless lobbyist, testifying before a congressional committee investigating her conduct. She is accused of unethical and potentially illegal practices during her time working on the Heaton-Harris Act, a bill aimed at implementing universal background checks for gun purchases. The narrative then shifts back in time, presenting the events that led to this hearing.

Sloane is introduced as a senior partner at the prominent lobbying firm Cole Kravitz & Waterman. She is approached by Senator Ron M. Sperling (John Lithgow) to lead a campaign against the Heaton-Harris Act, representing the powerful gun lobby. To everyone's astonishment, Sloane flatly refuses, citing a lack of personal belief in their cause. Instead, she resigns from Cole Kravitz & Waterman, taking several key team members with her, to join a smaller, ethical lobbying firm, Peterson Wyatt, led by Rodolfo Schmidt (Mark Strong). Her new mission: to help pass the very bill she was asked to oppose. This dramatic defection instantly sets her against her former boss, George Dupont (Sam Waterston), and former colleague, Pat Connors (Michael Stuhlbarg), who now spearhead the gun lobby's efforts.

At Peterson Wyatt, Sloane assembles a dedicated team, including Esme Manucharian (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), a passionate advocate for gun control who survived a school shooting, and Jane Molloy (Alison Pill), her loyal but often overwhelmed assistant. Sloane's strategy for passing the Heaton-Harris Act is relentless and unconventional. She employs a range of aggressive tactics: blackmailing a Congressman with incriminating photos to secure his vote, orchestrating staged public debates, and manipulating media narratives. She pushes her team to their absolute limits, demanding round-the-clock work and exhibiting little empathy for their personal lives. Her methods, while effective, cause friction within Peterson Wyatt, particularly with Schmidt, who values the firm's reputation for ethical conduct.

The lobbying battle intensifies. Sloane's former firm, now her direct adversaries, attempts to discredit her and her team. They expose a past incident where Sloane used an unregistered cell phone to communicate with a Congressman, a minor but potentially damaging ethical breach. The gun lobby also launches a smear campaign, portraying Sloane as an unprincipled manipulator. A particularly painful blow comes when Esme, during a television interview, is ambushed with questions about her past as a school shooting survivor, forcing her to relive the trauma publicly. This exploitation deeply affects Esme, and Sloane, despite her outwardly cold demeanor, shows a rare moment of concern, offering Esme protection and support.

The congressional hearing continues to intersperse the main narrative, with Senator Sperling presiding and prosecuting attorney Daniel Posner (David Wilson Barnes) relentlessly questioning Sloane. Posner presents evidence of Sloane's morally questionable actions: the blackmail, the unregistered phone, and a complex scheme involving a "volunteer" named Forde (Jake Lacy) who appears to be a plant. Forde, who initially joined Peterson Wyatt, later testifies against Sloane, claiming she bribed him to gather intelligence and then fired him when he refused to commit perjury. This testimony paints Sloane as a corrupt and manipulative figure, further solidifying the committee's case against her.

As the hearing progresses, Sloane's career and freedom hang in the balance. Her defense lawyer, Daniel Posner, struggles to counter the mounting evidence. The Heaton-Harris Act itself faces an uncertain future, as public opinion is swayed by the ongoing scandal surrounding Sloane. The film builds to a dramatic climax during Sloane's final testimony. She admits to all the accusations leveled against her, acknowledging her ruthless tactics, but then delivers a powerful, unexpected revelation.

Sloane reveals that her entire involvement with Peterson Wyatt and the campaign for the Heaton-Harris Act was part of an elaborate, long-conceived plan to expose the deep-seated corruption within the lobbying world, particularly the methods employed by the gun lobby and her former firm. She discloses that Forde was indeed a plant, but not for her adversaries. Instead, he was a mole *she* planted at Cole Kravitz & Waterman months before she even "rejected" the gun lobby's offer. Forde's role was to gather irrefutable evidence of illegal surveillance and bribery orchestrated by Dupont and Connors against Peterson Wyatt. Sloane had anticipated that her aggressive tactics would provoke a strong reaction from her former firm, leading them to engage in illegal activities to discredit her. She deliberately set up a situation where she would appear guilty of unethical behavior, knowing it would trigger a full congressional investigation.

The real twist is that the head of Peterson Wyatt, Rodolfo Schmidt, was also secretly complicit with Dupont and the gun lobby, feeding them information about Sloane's strategies. Sloane had suspected this and used Schmidt's betrayal as another piece in her elaborate trap. She allowed Forde to "testify" against her, knowing it would force the committee to call Schmidt as a witness. During Schmidt's testimony, Sloane's legal team, armed with the evidence Forde had gathered, exposes Schmidt's duplicity and his involvement in illegal surveillance and bribery. Furthermore, Forde reveals that he had also recorded conversations with Dupont and Connors, detailing their illegal activities, including bribing a key Senator to vote against the Heaton-Harris Act.

The revelation sends shockwaves through the hearing. The evidence collected by Forde, meticulously orchestrated by Sloane, exposes widespread corruption, perjury, and illegal surveillance by Dupont, Connors, and Schmidt. Sloane's seemingly self-destructive behavior was, in fact, a calculated sacrifice. She knew that to expose the truth, she would have to become a target herself. She accepts a prison sentence for her own acknowledged ethical breaches (primarily the unregistered phone and potentially some forms of blackmail, though the larger scheme is vindicated), but her actions lead to the arrests and indictments of Dupont, Connors, and Schmidt for their more severe crimes.

In the aftermath, the Heaton-Harris Act, which had been stalled due to the scandal, is passed, largely due to the public outcry against the exposed corruption. The film concludes with Sloane in prison, receiving a visit. She learns that the Heaton-Harris Act has passed. A faint, knowing smile plays on her lips, indicating that her ultimate goal was achieved, and her sacrifice was worthwhile. She played the long game, outmaneuvering everyone, and ultimately winning the war, even if it meant losing a battle and her temporary freedom.

Cast (Lead Roles):

• Jessica Chastain as Elizabeth Sloane
• Mark Strong as Rodolfo Schmidt
• Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Esme Manucharian
• Michael Stuhlbarg as Pat Connors
• Alison Pill as Jane Molloy
• Jake Lacy as Forde
• Sam Waterston as George Dupont
• John Lithgow as Senator Ron M. Sperling
• David Wilson Barnes as Daniel Posner

Crew:

• Director: John Madden
• Writer: Jonathan Perera
• Producers: Ben Browning, Ariel Zeitoun
• Cinematography: Sebastian Blenkov
• Editor: Alexander Berner
• Music by: Max Richter

Release Info:

• Original Release Date: December 9, 2016 (Limited)
• Language: English
• Genre: Political Thriller, Drama
• Running Time: 132 minutes
• Accolades: Jessica Chastain received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama.