Miss Sloane

John Madden's political thriller is briskly paced and spits out put-downs faster than you can catch them, yet cops out when it comes to the crunch. Jessica Chastain tears up the screen as the eponymous lobbyist: a ferociously sharp workaholic with a big bag of dirty tricks. When the head of an ethical lobbying company (Mark Strong) credits her with a conscience, Sloane is hired to ensure a plan for universal background checks survives the machinations of the gun lobby, pitching the formidable operator against her old firm. Screenwriter Jonathan Perera's ear for hard-boiled Washington-speak impresses but what begins as an exposé of a busted political system ties things up too neatly, setting its admirably complicated - and initially unapologetic - protagonist on an unconvincing road to redemption. Nevertheless, Miss Sloane pivots entertainingly and it's fun watching a seasoned double-dealer rub up against more high-minded colleagues. Michael Stuhlbarg and Gugu Mbatha-Raw round out a strong cast but this is emphatically The Chastain Show; whether standing alongside her or fool enough to take her on, no one else gets a look-in.