Forthright Carey’s future is looking very promising

IF AN actress is stunningly beautiful it is now unacceptable to say so in a movie review, even if her beauty is central to the role she plays. (It’s also unacceptable even to use the word “actress” in luvvie circles.)

Carey Mulligan has attacked a critic for describing her appearance in her new movie, Promising Young Woman, which is always a brave thing to do, as it often means making an enemy for life. (We writers have a better system, pretending that we don’t read bad reviews in order not to give the critic any satisfaction.)

Although I haven’t seen Promising Young Woman, I read the novel The Dig by John Preston when it came out, the movie of which is released today, starring Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes.

It was one of the best written and most atmospheric books I’ve ever read, and if the movie catches a fraction of its power it will make compelling viewing.