violet movie review rotten tomatoes

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, chaz's journal, great movies, contributors.

Now streaming on:

To the outside world, Violet would seem to have it all. She’s pretty, stylish, and she radiates a quiet confidence. She’s respected and adored in her thriving career as a film production executive in Los Angeles. And she lives with a longtime guy friend—a sweet and handsome screenwriter—in an impossibly cool mid-century modern house in the hills.

But inside her head, she tells herself a different story—or rather, “ The Committee ” does. The voice purrs menacingly, sadistically, criticizing and questioning every decision and conversation. She’s a pig. She’s in the way. She’s going to fail. She doesn’t belong. And she doesn’t deserve happiness or intimacy.

That gaping disparity provides the central conflict within writer/director Justine Bateman ’s feature filmmaking debut, “ Violet .” Moving from in front of the lens to behind it, the former ‘80s sitcom star clearly has something personal and piercing to say. Her film will surely resonate with so many others who hear their own nagging voices in their heads. And as the title character, Olivia Munn gets the chance to show dramatic abilities we haven’t seen from her previously. But there are so many layers of excessive, incessant style on display in the depiction of Violet’s deep insecurities, they feel like overbearing clutter, preventing Munn’s performance from shining through as powerfully as it should.

Besides the voice ( Justin Theroux , dripping with rich cruelty and sarcasm), Bateman also frequently reveals Violet’s more tender, vulnerable thoughts in the form of white cursive phrases scrawled across the screen. They’re her silent pleas to herself, to the world: “Is there something wrong with me?” “I feel like I don’t know who I am anymore.” “Please stay.” And when the pressure of a certain situation gets to be too much—a work meeting, or drinks with a friend—a low hum builds to a noisy din and a red wash floods the screen, drowning out everything, numbing her pain. “There,” the voice says soothingly. “Isn’t that better?”

As if all that weren’t enough, Bateman consistently cuts in quick snippets of violent and grotesque images throughout. A rapid-fire montage greets and grabs us from the start: car crashes, explosions, glass shattering, animals decaying. This startling artistic choice puts us on edge immediately and signals what kind of hyper-stylized film “Violet” is going to be. But then Bateman goes on to undermine herself by inserting brief flashes of this type of imagery in the middle of conversation to signify Violet’s building mania. Sometimes the cutaways are clunkily literal, such as a boxer getting punched in the face. The ultimate result is that Bateman takes away from the inherent drama or honesty she’d created in that moment. And finally, a flashback to a happier time in Violet’s life—riding her bicycle as a child in Michigan, smiling with the sun and wind in her hair—pops up and plays over and over like a home movie projected on whatever surface is nearby, whether it’s the inside of a tunnel or her bedroom wall. This is another device Bateman leans on too often, and at moments that sometimes seem random.

The first half hour or so of this approach feels exciting, but it soon grows repetitive and tiresome as Violet navigates a series of particularly stressful days, both personally and professionally. Munn subtly indicates the simmering panic of her character’s inner state, and how that anguish contrasts with her placid exterior. She’s fragile and jittery—you can feel her forcing the smiles between air kisses at Hollywood parties. The edgy strings of the score from Vum magnify the tension she’s feeling.

But the supporting players who might have fleshed out her character beyond her anxiety and doubt are drawn superficially at best. Luke Bracey is too good to be true as her hunky roommate and possibly more; it’s unlikely that he’s so perfect, still single, and not a shameless player. Erica Ash is stuck in an archaic trope as Violet’s best friend: a Black woman with no life of her own whose sole purpose seems to be showing up for drinks and listening to this woman’s problems.

And as if tackling and taming the character’s inner demons weren’t enough of an assignment for one movie, Bateman also tries to wedge in a Harvey Weinstein-inspired subplot, with Violet suffering humiliations and indignities from her sleazy, abusive boss ( Dennis Boutsikaris ), who founded the production company. Bateman has been around this business for most of her life, so there’s clearly a lot of truth in the story she’s telling. If only she’d let it speak for itself.

Now playing in select theaters and available on demand on November 9th.

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

Now playing

Sheila O'Malley

Hollywoodgate

Brian tallerico.

The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat

Robert daniels.

Tomris Laffly

Peak Season

Peyton robinson.

Glenn Kenny

Film credits.

Violet (2021)

Rated R for language throughout and some sexual references.

Olivia Munn as Violet

Colleen Camp as Connie Campos

Justin Theroux as The Voice

Kathleen Wilhoite as Waitress

Laura San Giacomo as Janice

Luke Bracey as Red

Jason Dohring as Harry White

Anne Ramsay as Vanessa

Todd Stashwick as Rick

• Justine Bateman

Cinematographer

• Mark Williams
• Jay Friedkin

Latest blog posts

13 Films Illuminate Locarno Film Festival's Columbia Pictures Retrospective

Apple TV+'s Pachinko Expands Its Narrative Palate For An Emotional Season Two

Tina Mabry and Edward Kelsey Moore on the Joy and Uplift of The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat

The Adams Family Gets Goopy in Hell Hole

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

• About Rotten Tomatoes®
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Prime Video
• Most Popular Streaming Movies
• Certified Fresh Movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• 78% Blink Twice Link to Blink Twice
• 96% Strange Darling Link to Strange Darling
• 86% Between the Temples Link to Between the Temples

New TV Tonight

• 93% Chimp Crazy: Season 1
• 100% Pachinko: Season 2
• -- That '90s Show: Season 3
• -- OceanXplorers: Season 1
• -- Classified: Season 1
• -- Reasonable Doubt: Season 2
• -- The Anonymous: Season 1
• -- Face to Face With Scott Peterson: Season 1
• -- Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

• 92% Bad Monkey: Season 1
• 100% Dark Winds: Season 2
• 78% Star Wars: The Acolyte: Season 1
• 96% Industry: Season 3
• 55% The Umbrella Academy: Season 4
• 86% Average Joe: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• 100% Pachinko: Season 2 Link to Pachinko: Season 2
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

The Crow Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer

The Crow Movies In Order

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

Poll: Vote for Your Most Anticipated TV or Streaming Show of September

Poll: Vote for Your Most Anticipated Movie of September

• Trending on RT
• Verified Hot Movies
• Renewed and Cancelled TV
• Emmy Nominees
• Popular Movies

Cast & Crew

Mary Sexton

Peter MacNeill

Andrew Younghusband

Bernie Stapleton

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy . We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

‘Violet’ Review: Olivia Munn Gets the Best Role of Her Career in Justine Bateman’s Inventive Debut

Kate erbland, editorial director.

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Share on LinkedIn
• Show more sharing options
• Submit to Reddit
• Post to Tumblr
• Print This Page
• Share on WhatsApp

Editor’s note: This review was originally published at the 2021 SXSW   Film Festival. Relativity releases the film in limited theaters on Friday, October 29, with theatrical expansion and VOD options to follow.

First-time feature filmmaker Justine Bateman throws down more than a few traps for her eponymous character in the drama “ Violet “: She’s has to embody a character whose biggest problems literally play out in her head, while contending with Bateman’s liberal use of poetic on-screen text that doesn’t always seem necessary, and she’s expected to convince us to feel empathy for a pretty, successful Hollywood executive. These aren’t easy asks, but they’re also part of the artifice that Bateman handily chips away at as “Violet” unspools. They also provide star Olivia Munn with the chance to turn in the best work of her career, one only enlivened by the great potential for missteps that Bateman’s thorny script provides. And Justin Theroux, who provides surreal voiceover for the protagonist’s self-doubts, adds an additional terrifying dimension to her conundrum.

The Hollywood setting is incidental, though Bateman’s status as a former teenage star (“Family Ties”!) and a long-time inhabitant of Tinseltown adds a palpable veracity to even her most mundane details (a particularly bad party experience seems like the sort of thing drawn from real life). But the Hollywood setting and vague avatars of some of the entertainment industry’s elite (studio production heads, avert your eyes from this one, it’s gonna hurt) also offer Bateman and Munn the chance to take some necessary jabs at the entire establishment.

Mostly, though, the jabs remain, quite literally, inside Violet’s head. While she has found success as a film development executive at a well-regarded boutique outfit, everything else in her life is in disarray. Her romantic life is bad, her family is the source of great pain, and every move she makes stems from a low-simmering mania that runs through all her days. The real problem is that Violet’s internal monologue (which Theroux injects with utter dread) has nothing but bad things to say to her. The insults run the gamut, from “you’re fat” to “you majored in the wrong thing in college” and “you don’t remember enough people’s birthdays” and the perennial cry that she’s just “a baby.”

But Violet is starting to realize that her internal voice, which she dubs to a shocked friend as “the committee,” might be wrong. Bateman takes this scenario to obvious ends: Scenes of Violet are overlaid with florid cursive meant to approximate her real  inner voice, which wonders “Why can’t I just be happy?” and worries that “I feel like I don’t who I am anymore.” Abrasive interstitial videos of decay and destruction only punctuate Violet’s pain, and while Bateman’s more florid touches sometimes wear, Munn is so devastatingly good at selling Violet’s internal strife that it’s easy to forgive Bateman’s other creative impulses. With a star this well-suited for the role, Bateman has already proven her salt as a keen-eyed filmmaker.

Once Violet realizes that her experience is not universal and that most people don’t have a voice cutting them down at every moment (her baffled best friend Lila, an underused Erica Ash, delivers this news quite handily), she makes tenuous steps toward changing her life. Bateman throws in a few flashbacks to explain away the source of Violet’s inner “committee,” and while some of them only serve to bolster obvious details (we know, for example, that Violet’s family relationships are bad, a flashback to her childhood just makes that more plain), others show how fully Violet’s life has been consumed by what amounts to self-sabotage.

What follows is a delayed coming-of-age tale, and while Bateman sidesteps some bigger issues — Munn, who is half-Chinese, here plays a character who is either white or so white-passing that her race is never mentioned — she probes deeply into others that so rarely get the Hollywood treatment. Violet is someone whose entire existence, from her high-powered career to her terrible love life, has been directed by flawed perceptions and pernicious beliefs about sexist expectations. As Violet pushes forward to what she hopes is a better future, Munn delivers a graceful, cutting performance, as her pain always feels grounded in real, quantifiable challenges.

Bateman may wrap her story in Hollywood gloss (no, not every person subjected to Violet’s brand of shame gets to come home to Luke Bracey as her obviously lovestruck BFF), but there’s a deep universality to the message here. It’s made all the more powerful by Munn’s performance, which cuts through Bateman’s occasionally fussy flourishes to deliver the most substantial work of her career. “Violet” may be Bateman’s vision, but it’s through Munn’s eyes that we see it most clearly.

“Violet” premiered at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival. 

Most Popular

You may also like.

Screen Rant

Tiff review: violet is a moving, eccentric film that is elevated by olivia munn.

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

The Crow 2024's Debut Audience Score RT Triples Critic Score (& Breaks Franchise Trend)

"that's kind of a disservice": saving private ryan's liberation of french town gets 1 major detail wrong, says historian, inside out 2: the heartwarming bing bong easter egg explained (& where to spot it).

It’s hard to visualize someone’s nagging anxiety and self-doubt, but Violet , Justine Bateman’s directorial debut (which she also wrote), attempts to do just that by portraying it externally and in very public situations. Starring Olivia Munn in the titular role, Bateman successfully navigates the self-sabotaging voice in Violet’s head that disrupts every facet of her life. Elevated by a stunning performance by Munn, Violet conveys the challenges of living in one’s head in greatly effective, if somewhat tedious, ways.

On the surface, Violet (Munn) seems like she has it all: a great career as a successful and beloved film executive, she works at a well-known firm where the films she’s produced have won awards, she’s got good friends, connections, looks, and money. And yet, Violet’s internal voice (a perfect and insidiously cruel Justin Theroux), which she calls “the committee” in her head, is loud and constantly threatens to derail every single choice. The voice calls her a baby, an idiot, and claims she should take the verbal abuse of others who undermine her, including her boss (Dennis Boutsikaris) and family, because it’s the only way to stay on top and is what she deserves. Being happy is not an option, nor is doing what Violet wants, which is to stop listening to the voice. 

Related:  TIFF Review: The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain Is A Captivating, Uneven Biopic

The villain of the story is the committee. It overpowers Violet’s own wants and needs, which silently appear as cursive text onscreen — “Don’t go” or “Why can’t I stop the voice in my head?” — as the voice snipes that she will never be good enough for anyone or anything. Bateman doesn’t shy away from the fact that Violet, by comparison to most people, does have privilege. She’s made it in an industry that is hard to break into and is seemingly doing what she wants despite the committee claiming she should’ve studied something else in college. However, the film clearly showcases how Violet truly feels on the inside, undercutting the façade of her external life as seen by others.

Munn delivers a stunning performance, allowing her facial expressions and body language to convey the opposite of what she is communicating verbally to those around her. Her eyes say so much in the span of a few seconds and, despite the text telling the audience what Violet is truly feeling, Munn does most of the heavy lifting with her mesmerizing, nuanced performance that thankfully overshadows the monotony of the words’ constant appearances. The film is a showcase of her talent, which has been largely underutilized in other films. 

It would have been easy for Bateman to let style speak over substance, but Violet delivers a striking message in an eccentric way, one that isn’t soon to be forgotten. The message is, ostensibly, to find freedom by breaking away from the mind’s own barriers which, in the film, are revealed to have been influenced by Violet’s verbally abusive mother and a relationship with an ex-boyfriend that ended badly. While not everyone has reliable and helpful friends, as Violet does in Red (Luke Bracey), the childhood friend who is always there for her, and Lila (Erica Ash, who deserved more screen time), the film ultimately gets around to its point: to get out of this self-sabotaging cycle is a personal journey one must ultimately overcome on their own. 

The story is bolstered by emotion, clever editing by Jay Friedkin that showcases the dread Violet feels with dark, disturbing images appearing as certain scenes fade to depict the incoming silence of her mind, and character development that lends itself to a satisfactory conclusion. The film's strengths ultimately counter the tediousness of the film, which occasionally disrupt the otherwise good pace. What’s more, Violet is universal and speaks to anyone who has been hindered by crippling self-doubt or held back by toxic people, be they family members or bosses at work. Wanting better for oneself isn’t a bad thing, no matter what the invasive and cruel voice says otherwise.  

Next:  TIFF Review: All My Puny Sorrows Is Poignant, But Doesn't Dig Deep Enough

Violet had its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2021. The film is 92 minutes long and is rated R for language throughout and some sexual references.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Breakfast at Tiffany's is a romantic comedy film by director Blake Edwards and is based on Truman Capote's 1958 novella. The 1961 film stars Buddy Ebsen, Audrey Hepburn, Patricia Neal, and George Peppard. The plot revolves around Holly Golightly as she falls in love and the trials and tribulations that come along with it.  

• Movie Reviews
• 3.5 star movies

Violet - What We Know So Far

Life is full of choices, but the motivations behind them are not always good-natured. That's a theme  writer-director Justine Bateman explores in her directorial debut "Violet." The film tackles something that many viewers can relate to: a controlling inner voice. For Bateman, it felt like the right time to make the film happen. "I wanted to direct since I was 19, but the timing wasn't right; I had to wait for the timing. The timing finally felt right when I was about 50," she told The Playlist  in September. Bateman, notably, is no stranger to life in front of the camera — she famously starred on the hit series "Family Ties."

Understandably, her time spent working in all aspects of the entertainment industry helped the writer-director find an outstanding cast for "Violet." The project features Olivia Munn in the title role, and in an interview with Variety , the actress spoke about how filming "Violet" pleasantly differed from her experiences on past projects. "Justine is one of my favorite, if not my favorite, directors that I've worked with so far," Munn told the outlet.

With all this in mind, here's everything you need to know about "Violet."

What is Violet's release date?

"Violet" is set to hit select theaters on October 29. As of this writing, theaters in New York, Los Angeles, and Maricopa are all set to offer screenings of the film, while on-demand options will become available after November 9 (via Relativity Media ). There is no information as of yet about where the film will be available to rent, or which streaming services may offer it.

Prior to its limited release, the film made its debut at the 2021 South by Southwest Film Festival. That initial showing led to the project's North American rights being picked up by Relativity Media (via Deadline ), with CEO Lex Miron saying the film, "explores deep-rooted motivations and will ignite healthy, spirited conversation between friends, family and colleagues." After its South by Southwest premiere, "Violet" went on to screen at the 2021 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival . 

The film has so far received mostly positive reviews from critics (via Rotten Tomatoes ).

Who is in the cast of Violet?

"Violet" splits its focus between its titular character and her inner voice. Olivia Munn stars in the film as Violet Calder, a movie executive dealing with the lasting impact of many of her fear-based decisions. Early reviews have generally praised Munn's turn in the film, with  IndieWire  noting that the role gives the actress the "chance to turn in the best work of her career."

Meanwhile, Violet's harsh inner critic is voiced by actor Justin Theroux. Viewers may remember Theroux for his recent turn as Allie Fox on the Apple TV+ drama, "The Mosquito Coast," which was renewed for a second season earlier this year. Speaking with The Wrap , "Violet" director Justine Bateman was quick to praise Theroux's talent, calling him "an incredible writer, director, and an actor."

In addition to Theroux and Munn, the film's cast also includes Laura San Giacomo, Luke Bracey, Zachary Gordon, Jason Dohring, Simon Quarterman, and Dennis Boutsikaris.

What is the plot of Violet?

"Violet" focuses on the life of its titular studio executive. While she's working to gain ground in her industry, the film sees Olivia Munn's Violet dealing with a myriad of issues, including the kinds of fears and uncertainties that many viewers likely encounter in their daily lives. The movie follows Violet as her inner voice pushes her to the edge — leading her to discover what really happens when she stops living in constant fear.

To help bring viewers into Violet's inner world, director Justine Bateman utilizes some interesting stylistic choices in the film. For example, cursive writing that illuminates various different thoughts and feelings appears on the screen throughout the film. Bateman created the cursive writing herself in what she has previously described as a "time-consuming" process (via Observer ). 

Meanwhile, images of catastrophic events are repeatedly shown as the film follows Violet's struggle to push through her most difficult moments and decisions. Flickering Myth referred to the technique as a "face-melting montage of traumatic images — a fox decaying into the ground and exploding cars, for two — which recur throughout as a visualisation of Violet's panicked mind."

Now, viewers can look forward to seeing the full scope of Bateman's vision when "Violet" hits theaters and VOD in just a few short days.

Advertisement

Supported by

‘Violet’ Review: In Two Minds

Olivia Munn battles a bullying voice in her head in this unusual psychological drama.

• Share full article

By Jeannette Catsoulis

Olivia Munn gives a terrific performance as the title character in “Violet,” if only her director, Justine Bateman, would allow us to see it. Crowding the screen with jarring sounds and disturbing visuals, Bateman experiments with so many cinematic frills and fancies that Munn’s touching work is too often obscured.

An assaultive opening introduces Violet, a Los Angeles film production executive in her thirties, amid a jangle of sensory discord. This is the inside of Violet’s head, a fear-filled space where competing monologues — she calls them “the committee” — play continuously. To follow her, we must attend to no fewer than three voices: one a bullying male (Justin Theroux) who batters Violet’s self-esteem; one scrawled across the screen, representing her private wishes; and a third the dialogue Violet speaks to the other characters.

This is a lot to ask of an audience, but Bateman isn’t finished. Whenever Violet fails to express her anger at, say, her louse of a boss (Dennis Boutsikaris) or her overbearing brother (Todd Stashwick), a wash of red dye stains the screen. Navigating her stressful job in a state of constant anxiety, Olivia is unable to fully unburden herself, either to her upbeat best friend (a warm Erica Ash) or the handsome, empathetic screenwriter (Luke Bracey) who is clearly perfect for her. Flashbacks to her Michigan childhood, where her sense of worth was slowly strangled by a hypercritical mother, hint at damage done; but the plot is so flimsy, and the supporting characters so shallowly drawn, that none of this has bite.

A fascinating idea that’s frustratingly underdeveloped, “Violet” is a sometimes uncomfortable watch, its ambition stifled by gimmickry and its ominous tone an unfulfilled promise.

Violet Rated R for a lot of harsh language and a wee bit of sex. Running time: 1 hour 32 minutes. In theaters.

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

‘violet’: film review | sxsw 2021.

Olivia Munn toplines Justine Bateman's feature directorial debut, the story of a Hollywood executive's struggle to turn off the hostile voice in her head and live a more authentic life.

By Sheri Linden

Sheri Linden

Senior Copy Editor/Film Critic

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Send an Email
• Show additional share options
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on Reddit
• Share on Tumblr
• Share on Whats App
• Print the Article
• Post a Comment

In a memorable episode of Seinfeld , George Costanza decides to change his life by doing the opposite of what he usually does in his daily decision-making. That same existential experiment drives Violet , although without the intended laughs. For the title character, played by Olivia Munn, the switch isn’t as easy as it was for George. But after a lifetime of obeying “the committee” in her head, she’s increasingly aware of the disconnect between the life she leads and the life she wants.

That committee is really one guy, a dictatorial meanie voiced by Justin Theroux , as The Voice. His withering put-downs and harsh orders to Violet are woven into and around the film’s dialogue and action. A second voice also reacts to what’s going on, but it’s a silenced one, the voice of Violet’s innermost desires and questions. These thoughts appear onscreen in large handwritten text: “What’s wrong with me?”; “I want you to stay”; “Why have I been afraid to do the things I love?” The ensuing back-and-forth pits Violet’s inner enemy (what practitioners of The Tools know as Part X ) against Violet’s soul.

Related Stories

Lulu wang, olivia munn, mindy kaling and more react to georgia shootings: "enough is enough".

At particularly self-defeating moments for her protagonist, writer-director Justine Bateman injects flashing images of disaster, violence and decomposing animals. The screen might go red and the score, by Los Angeles electronic-rock trio Vum, might deepen its groan. It doesn’t take long to catch on to this multichannel narrative scheme, with its disturbing visuals and conflicting voices. But you might soon hear an additional voice — the one in your head wondering where the self-improvement earnestness leaves off and the satire begins, if at all, and just what to make of Violet herself. Is she an emblematic figure or one we’re supposed to take at face value?

She’s a 30-something production executive who’s staying with her screenwriter friend Red (Luke Bracey) in his hilltop midcentury spread while her rain-damaged kitchen is being repaired. His place is also undergoing renovation. That’s the world we’re in, the circle of high-end L.A. real estate and high-powered social circles. (The small company where Violet works is headquartered in the landmark Sowden House .) Following her inner committee’s orders, Violet puts up with the condescension and disrespect of people who technically report to her, transparent manipulator Bradley (Zachary Gordon) and the oozingly snarky Julie (Cassandra Cardenes). As with most organizations, the stink starts at the head; Violet’s boss is a first-rate louse, played by an exceptionally hissable Dennis Boutsikaris.

Her protective assistant, Keith (Keith Powers), can’t understand why she puts up with the abuse, but he doesn’t know about the voice in her head. On that front, Violet has confided in only one person, her friend Lila (Erica Ash), and their initial conversation on the matter doesn’t go very well. A production designer with a strong self-image (“My parents told me I’m great”), Lila urges Violet to think of Red as more than her geeky childhood friend. But even though he’s single, handsome, supportive, kind and emotionally available — not to mention sharing his home with her — he’s not an executive and therefore, according to Violet, not “the type of guy I should be dating.”

But still she finds herself avoiding the calls of the studio hotshot (Peter Jacobson) who would fit that bill. Something in her carefully maintained mission to ascend the ladder is coming apart at the seams. The abstract poetry-based passion project she pushed aside starts resurfacing (in Hollywood?!), even as she plows ahead with the redundantly titled game-based movie Fireflame , and endures long-distance intrusions of disdain and jealousy from her brother (Todd Stashwick) and aunt (Bonnie Bedelia) back in the Midwest.

Bleecker Street Nabs 'I'm Your Man' Sci-Fi Comedy

Hollywood vet Bateman has a sure eye for the industry scene, from its transactional-sex deals with the devil to the eateries that are about being seen as much as being fed. Her observations of the biz and its various types can be sharp, and the three-minute sequence that puts 45 crewmembers onscreen after the closing credits serves as a cleansing tonic after the parade of egos during the preceding hour and a half.

She draws naturalistic performances from Munn and a large supporting cast. But the story itself finally feels lost beneath the levels of artifice rather than heightened by it. The stakes for Violet certainly matter to her, but they haven’t the dramatic heft to make them matter to us. A Hollywood denizen who has never considered therapy is a little hard to believe, but there are times when Violet’s mental health seems like a problem that calls for more than a shrink. The less said about a flashback incident involving candles, the better.

However constant and extreme Violet’s doubts and self-criticism are, certainly most of us can relate to the general experience, and to Lila’s comment to Violet that “maybe you’ve cast yourself in a role you don’t want to play anymore.” But as age-old and universal as the careerism-vs.-happiness clash at the heart of Violet  is, it’s hard to relate to its central character’s bravery. The supposed big leaps that Violet takes — between one executive position and another, and into the arms of the dreamboat standing two feet away — fall short of the mark. I’m curious to see what Bateman does next. Violet, not so much.

Venue: South by Southwest Film Festival (Spotlight) Production companies: Section 5 in association with Loose Cannon Pictures Cast: Olivia Munn, Luke Bracey, Justin Theroux, Bonnie Bedelia, Zachary Gordon, Erica Ash, Simon Quarterman, Rob Benedict, Dennis Boutsikaris, Todd Stashwick, Laura San Giacomo, Jim O’Heir, Peter Jacobson, Keith Powers, Cassandra Cardenas, Al Madrigal, Rain Phoenix, Anne Ramsay, Colleen Camp, Federico Dordei, Jason Dohring, Jordan Belfi Director-screenwriter: Justine Bateman Producers: Justine Bateman, Michael D Jones, Larry Hummel, Matt Paul Executive producers: Cassian Elwes, Jay Paul, Matt Lituchy, Rob Rubano, Jonathan Schurgin, Anders Liljeblad Director of photography: Mark Williams Production designer: Fernanda Guerrero Costume designer: Peggy A. Schnitzer Editor: Jay Friedkin Music: Vum Casting directors: Orly Sitowitz, Stacey Pianko Sales: CAA

92 minutes 

THR Newsletters

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Box office: ‘deadpool & wolverine’ back on top as ‘blink twice’ struggles and ‘the crow’ collapses, ryan reynolds on why rob mcelhenney’s ‘deadpool & wolverine’ cameo got cut: “sometimes have to kill your darlings”, how to watch the ‘halloween’ movies in order, denzel washington says “there are very few films left for me to make that i’m interested in”, jason momoa, dave bautista action comedy ‘the wrecking crew’ adds temuera morrison, jacob batalon (exclusive), ‘fantastic beasts’ actor dan fogler to play ‘batman’ producer michael uslan in stage play (exclusive).

‘Violet’: Olivia Munn shows her vulnerable side as a success convinced she’s a failure

The savvy exec has a lot on her mind, and we see and hear it all in the emotionally impactful drama..

“Violet” reveals the anxious inner thoughts of its title character (Olivia Munn) with writing on the screen and voices led by Justin Theroux.

Relativity Media

Olivia Munn often plays whip-smart, no-nonsense, badass characters who might not give out the warmest vibe and don’t seem particularly vulnerable — which makes her performance in Justine Bateman’s searing and bold and emotionally impactful “Violet” all the more impressive. Munn delivers the finest work of her career playing a woman who on the surface appears to have it all but is in fact struggling with deep-rooted anxiety and insecurity, to the point where she literally hears a voice in her head that keeps pounding home the message that she’s terrible, she’s incompetent, she’s worthless, she’s nobody.

This is a kind of high-octane take on “Adaptation,” with Munn’s titular character looking cool, calm and collected on the surface while a cacophony of voices, thoughts and memories rattle around her head. The dominant voice is a harsh-sounding, demeaning, constantly critical male (Justin Theroux), who is forever telling Violet she’s not worthy of love or happiness or professional success and she shouldn’t take any chances or ruffle any feathers or stand up for herself. (A sample offering from this monstrous alter ego: “You’re a freak, you’re fat, your hair is gross, you’re a baby, you smell, don’t be a bitch, how do you expect people to take you seriously …”)

A second voice comes in the form of cursive writings that scroll across the screen, with Violet speaking in her own voice and saying things like, “Why can’t I just be happy?” and, “I feel like I don’t know who I am anymore” and “I’m OK I’m OK I’m OK.” On top of all THAT, Violet has vivid memories of certain incidents from her childhood that play like old 16mm films, and on top of all THAT, writer-director Bateman (the former “Family Ties” co-star) goes bold and big with stylistic touches including mash-up montages of jarring images of decay and destruction, and the screen sometimes turning a kind of sepia-toned blood red when the ugly inner voice berates her. At times the art-house touches can be overwhelming (and in some cases unnecessary), but “Violet” remains consistently enthralling due to the smart and savvy screenplay and the fine performances from Munn and the supporting cast.

Violet is the head of production at a well-respected boutique studio — the kind of place where they turn out awards contenders and the occasional smash commercial hit as well. She allows her underlings to get away with lazy work habits and borderline insubordinate behavior because her philosophy is not to cause a scene, to go along and get along — and because the voice inside her tells she’s a fraud and shouldn’t even have this job. The brilliant character actor Dennis Boutsikaris plays Violet’s boss, Tom, who has a glad-handing, aging hippie demeanor, but is simmering with sexist resentment for Violet, who is clearly better than him at every facet of the business. (Among other knowing touches, “Violet” is spot-on in its treatment of the motion picture industry, from the scenes at Violet’s studio to a Hollywood party crawling with self-involved artists and odious studio executives.)

Violet’s longtime friend Red (Luke Bracey) is clearly in love with her.

Although Violet often feels as if she’s alone in the world — she’s estranged from her family and isn’t even sure she’ll attend her mother’s funeral — she does have a couple of allies. Her best friend Lila (Erica Ash) keeps her somewhat grounded and tells her no, it’s not normal to have “the committee” (as Violet calls the voices in her head) controlling one’s every move. Then there’s the almost too-good-to-be-true Red (a laid-back, handsome and likable Luke Bracey), a screenwriter who has been Violet’s loyal buddy for years and is clearly in love with her. (In a play off an old Hollywood joke, the voice in Violet’s head tells her it would be career suicide for a head of production to date a lowly screenwriter.) I’m not sure what the symbolism is in having a “Violet” and a “Red” potentially embracing each other, but perhaps this melding of personalities and colors will help quell the voices in Violet’s head. Thanks in large part to Munn’s elegant, authentic, grounded and moving performance, we’re rooting hard for Violet to find some inner peace. She deserves it. The voice is all wrong about her.

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

• About Rotten Tomatoes®
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Prime Video
• Most Popular Streaming Movies
• Certified Fresh Movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• 78% Blink Twice Link to Blink Twice
• 96% Strange Darling Link to Strange Darling
• 86% Between the Temples Link to Between the Temples

New TV Tonight

• 93% Chimp Crazy: Season 1
• 100% Pachinko: Season 2
• -- That '90s Show: Season 3
• -- OceanXplorers: Season 1
• -- Classified: Season 1
• -- Reasonable Doubt: Season 2
• -- The Anonymous: Season 1
• -- Face to Face With Scott Peterson: Season 1
• -- Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

• 92% Bad Monkey: Season 1
• 100% Dark Winds: Season 2
• 78% Star Wars: The Acolyte: Season 1
• 96% Industry: Season 3
• 55% The Umbrella Academy: Season 4
• 86% Average Joe: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• 100% Pachinko: Season 2 Link to Pachinko: Season 2
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

The Crow Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer

The Crow Movies In Order

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

Poll: Vote for Your Most Anticipated TV or Streaming Show of September

Poll: Vote for Your Most Anticipated Movie of September

• Trending on RT
• Verified Hot Movies
• Renewed and Cancelled TV
• Emmy Nominees
• Popular Movies

American Violet

Where to watch.

Rent American Violet on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

What to Know

Though its politics are as obvious as its outcome, American Violet is an earnest docudrama about the justice system with a powerful performance from Nicole Behairie.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Nicole Beharie

Dee Roberts

Will Patton

Alfre Woodard

Alma Roberts

Tim Blake Nelson

David Cohen

Michael O'Keefe

Calvin Beckett

More Like This

Related movie news.