The Bride! Faces Backlash for Tackling Real Issues

0:00This is Corey, here with your quick two-minute entertainment update. Maggie Gyllenhaal's new film, The Bride, faced big changes before release. The 48-year-old director, revealed Warner Bros. asked her to tone down sexually violent scenes after tough test screenings. The final version pulls back from her original cut, which included graphic violence and assault. She got pushed back mainly from female viewers who said they did not want to watch a woman being violated. Gyllenhaal agreed to make the edits bested by her vision. She told The New York Times that sexual violence is a harsh reality in our world, and films should show it without softening the blow. The movie stars Jesse Buckley as The Bride of Frankenstein and Christian Bale as The Monster. It re-imagines the classic story with Mary Shelley possessing a murdered sex worker in 1930's Chicago. The pair goes on a run together, touching on themes like consent amid chases and fights. These have been brutal so far. Outlets like The New York Post gave it zero stars, calling it one of the worst films ever.

1:04The Times labeled it a howling misfire. But some praised it with four stars from the Guardian, BBC, and the standard for its bold style and Buckley's energy. The Bride hits theaters this Friday. Despite the backlash, Gyllenhaal insists the story tackles real issues head on, even if it makes audiences uncomfortable. This story is made possible by our sponsor, see the episode description. If sleep podcasts are your thing, this is your pillow, built for comfort and calm, S-O-L-L-I, solely pillow.com.