Review of On the Basis of Sex (2018) by Brent_Marchant — 03 Jan 2019

A somewhat formulaic but nevertheless inspiring biopic about the early days of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's career and her efforts to fight for the elimination of sex-based discrimination under the law. With fine, underrated performances by Felicity Jones and Kathy Bates, the film capably walks viewers through the complexities of the legal landscape without resorting to excessive legalese while simultaneously putting a human face on the central issues in question, both in the lives of the protagonist and those for whom she served as advocate.

To be sure, the pacing sometimes gets bogged down, and the screenplay tends to unfold in a safe, tried-and-true, somewhat predictable manner. Nevertheless, the inspiration this offering affords and the ideas it champions are well worth the play they get here, something that should prove uplifting to those who seek fairness, equal opportunity and even-handedness in all of their endeavors.