The current state of the Supreme Court of The United States (SCOTUS) has many begging Ruth Bader Ginsburg to "just keep planking" — the Supreme Court justice's preferred exercise of choice. Alas, the feminist icon does no such thing in the new trailer for On The Basis Of Sex, an upcoming biopic in which Felicity Jones stars as the notorious RBG.
Instead of strengthening her core in the upcoming film, RBG works tirelessly to firm up equal rights for women in America.
The trailer for the already Oscar-buzzy film shows a young Ginsburg as she fights an American legal system that discriminates on (you guessed it!) the basis of sex. The trailer opens with Jones' Ginsburg — a bright-eyed lawyer in the teaser — rattling off just some of the laws that fall under this category.
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Before RBG could make a dent in the system, there were over 170 sexist stipulations that declared things like a woman could not work overtime or bear a credit card with her own name. Ginsburg, a top law student who could not secure a job at a top firm (because, erm, sexism) called BS — sparking a quest for gender equality that would last her entire life. (By the way, if you want to watch the real story, check out the documentary RBG.)
Ginsburg's opponents didn't see the laws in place as deeply unconstitutional and morally reprehensible — they saw them as upholding the American family. Fortunately, as the trailer shows, Ginsburg's own family (including husband Martin Ginsburg, portrayed here by Armie Hammer) was entirely supportive of her cause, which would, eventually, land her a seat on the Supreme Court.
It's hubby Martin who hands Ginsburg the discrimination case that will help change the law forever. Except it's not women who are discriminated against under this particular law, but men. Fighting for a man's right to be considered a primary caregiver ultimately opens up doors for gender equality across the board, and RBG picks up the mantle without a second thought. However, as Justin Theroux's character Mel Wulf warns RBG, if she loses this case, the women's movement could be set back a decade.
High drama, of course, but at least we know how this story ends: With RBG sitting pretty on the Supreme Court. Check out the trailer below:
On The Basis Of Sex opens Christmas 2018.