You don't need to be Columbo to see how "Ask E. Jean" feels about its subject or President Donald Trump.
The May 22 release follows the curious life and times of E. Jean Carroll, an advice columnist and author whose fame soared in recent years.
Why? She battled President Trump and appeared to win the war, snagging an $83 million defamation victory over her accusations the future president had sexually assaulted her in the 1990s.
The film's press description chases away any notion of a fair and balanced presentation.
ASK E. JEAN is the thrilling story of E. Jean Carroll’s life, from her early days as Miss Cheerleader USA to her rise as a trailblazing journalist, author, and beloved advice columnist. Carroll broke barriers as the first female editor at Esquire, Playboy, and Outside, helping to redefine women’s roles in media with her sharp wit and fearless voice. In recent years, she reignited public discourse by standing up to power, becoming the only woman to beat Donald Trump twice in court, and sparking a national conversation about truth, accountability, and resilience. This film is a portrait of an indomitable woman who proved it’s never too late to reclaim your voice, rewrite your story, and change the world.
Her rape accusations against President Trump had some vague qualities, including uncertainty over the exact date of the alleged assault. She also has a history of accusing people of sexual misconduct, including former CBS head Leslie Moonves, a college student, and a camp counselor when she was a preteen. They all made the cut in her infamous "hideous men" roundup.
In her defense, Moonves' precipitous fall from grace involved sexual abuse allegations.
We may never know for certain what happened between her and Trump. She didn't file a police report at the time, although her explanation about fearing she wouldn't be believed has a credible ring due to the era's culture.
What's clear is that "Ask E. Jean" just got some bad publicity days before the film's modest nationwide opening. A New York appeals court ruled that the president doesn't have to pay that $83 million defamation amount to Carroll, at least not yet.
The matter may go all the way to the Supreme Court before we get our final answer.
"Ask E. Jean" has a fascinating subject, no doubt. She battled sexism in journalism during her career, and her provocative advice column generated plenty of attention.
Yet here's betting not every juicy anecdote from her life will make the final cut. Consider a curious exchange with CNN's Anderson Cooper. Carroll attempted to describe the word "rape," and in doing so suggested many see it as a sexy encounter.
Cooper couldn't cut away to a commercial break fast enough.
Carroll also minimized the gravity of the alleged Trump attack during an interview with then-MSNBC host Rachel Maddow. The topic? How Carroll intends to use Trump's defamation money to help women like her who have suffered an alleged abuse.
"First thing, Rachel. You and I are gonna go shopping for a completely new wardrobe," Carroll said with glee.
Odd.
It's the kind of compelling content that would give "Ask E. Jean" even more depth and complexity without necessarily suggesting that she had made up her claims. She's a complicated figure, full stop.
We'll have to wait until Nov. 22 to see if those illuminating clips are part of the big picture.
