The Assistant (2019): A Film Examining Workplace Culture and Abuse
In this article we have chosen to highlight a film called The Assistant (2019) as an example of the systemic issues that allow abuse to persist within organisations. The film provides a powerful lens through which we can examine how workplace culture, power dynamics, and silence contribute to harm. Rather than focusing on a single act of misconduct, The Assistant reveals the everyday behaviours—dismissiveness, complicity, and fear—that create an environment where abuse is normalised and victims feel powerless. By exploring this film, we want to encourage deeper reflection on how these patterns manifest in real workplaces and what can be done to challenge and change them.
What is The Assistant about?
The Assistant (2019), directed by Kitty Green, is a quietly powerful exploration of systemic abuse in professional settings. The film follows Jane, a young assistant at a film mogul’s production company, as she navigates a day filled with subtle but deeply unsettling signs of misconduct. Through seemingly mundane tasks, the film reveals a toxic environment that perpetuates silence, fear, and complicity in an abusive culture.
How does the film portray the drivers of abuse?
At its core, The Assistant examines the enablers of abuse within organisations. Rather than focusing on overt acts or specific perpetrators, the film explores how hierarchical systems, cultural norms, and bystander inaction create an environment where abuse can thrive even when direct, overt acts of abuse are not immediately visible. The focus of the film is not on the obvious victims or perpetrators of abuse, but rather on the machinery that makes it possible — a culture of silence, fear, and complicity that turns a blind eye to the pain inflicted on individuals within the system. By showcasing Jane’s daily experiences, the narrative highlights the insidious ways these systems protect abusers and silence victims.
What role do power dynamics play in the story?
Power dynamics are central to The Assistant. Jane’s low-level position renders her powerless in a system where authority is concentrated at the top. The unseen film mogul, an authoritative leader whose actions remain shrouded in ambiguity, and complicit colleagues create an environment where challenging the status quo feels impossible. Jane’s vulnerability stems not just from her position but from the systemic barriers that prevent her from speaking out or intervening. What becomes clear over the course of the film is that the system, built on hierarchical authority, is structured in such a way that Jane feels powerless to challenge the abuse she witnesses, or even to fully comprehend the scope of it. The power imbalance: where her role as a mere assistant subjugates her to the will of others, makes it difficult for her to question or intervene in what is happening.
What does the HR scene reveal about institutional failures?
One of the film’s most pivotal moments occurs when Jane reports her concerns to HR. Instead of addressing her complaints, the HR representative downplays her concerns and subtly pressures her to remain silent. This scene underscores how institutions often prioritise self-preservation over protecting employees. While the film presents a very harsh and extreme portrayal of a biased and unsupportive HR department, it serves as a reminder for organisations to ensure that their HR departments are balanced and impartial; with a strong focus on openness and wellbeing.
How does the film address the complicity of bystanders?
The Assistant poignantly depicts the role of bystanders in enabling abuse. Jane’s colleagues are aware of the toxic environment but choose to ignore it. Her female manager, fully cognisant of the misconduct, discourages Jane from speaking up by emphasising the risks of doing so. The film illustrates how silence and inaction are deliberate choices that perpetuate harm.
What makes the film’s portrayal of abuse unique?
The film’s strength lies in its focus on the subtleties of systemic abuse. Rather than dramatic confrontations, The Assistant captures microaggressions and everyday behaviours that collectively sustain toxic environments. These small moments — a dismissive comment, a knowing glance, or the refusal to act — build a chilling portrait of complicity and power.
Why is The Assistant an important commentary on workplace culture?
The Assistant serves as a sobering reminder of how systems of power protect abusers. By highlighting the structural and cultural enablers of abuse, the film challenges viewers to question the norms and hierarchies that allow toxic behaviour to persist. Through its understated direction and the lead actor, Julia Garner’s compelling performance, The Assistant leaves an indelible mark, urging reflection on the ways organisations fail those most vulnerable.
The Assistant brilliantly captures the microaggressions and everyday moments of enabling that allow abuse to persist unchecked. The film shows how systemic abuse is not always about overt violence, but about the accumulation of small, seemingly insignificant actions-or inactions-that together form a culture where victims are silenced, and perpetrators are allowed to thrive. In this sense, the film is a chilling portrayal of how institutional power works to protect itself, and how individuals within the system can be paralysed by fear, complicity, or the normalisation of abusive behaviour.
What lessons can organisations and individuals take from the film?
The film underscores the importance of accountability, transparency, and fostering a culture where concerns can be raised without fear. It highlights the need for robust systems that prioritise employee wellbeing over organisational reputation. For individuals, it serves as a call to recognise complicity and take action to challenge harmful norms.
In its quiet yet profound way, The Assistant exposes the hidden mechanisms of systemic abuse, making it an essential watch for anyone seeking to understand and dismantle the structures that enable harm that often hide in plain sight.