On the Basis of Sex

For those not blessed with such courageous figures, Ginsburg's story will be especially inspirational, making it relatively easy to forgive a few manipulative and melodramatic touches in the telling.

Its pace is a little slack, and sometimes it feels too predictably prepackaged. But Jones and Hammer keep the picture moving even through its shakier phases.

There's a propelling motion that makes the film a swift, slick watch led by a figure rare in a genre still dominated by men.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a remarkable, unrepeatable human. On the Basis of Sex is an affectionate and overdue tribute to her.

Mimi Leder and Felicity Jones give us an origin story, a romance, an underdog tale, a courtroom drama and social commentary all wrapped up neatly in a smoothly executed, less-than-scintillating crowdpleaser.

Although Jones works hard to spice up the dry world of constitutional law, On the Basis of Sex remains superficially inspiring and lacks the venom of Notorious RBG's reputation.

The conventional connect-the-dots approach and less-than-ideal casting of the leading role keep the film from being something more than a proficient but ordinary account of an extraordinary career.

Despite the low stakes, On the Basis of Sex has an uplifting and empowering tone that makes for an entertaining experience.

A limited, often idealistic window into Ruth Bader Ginsburg's life but it's one that conveys the significance of singular victories and the cumulative effect that leads to longterm change, and Felicity Jones aces every step of that journey as Ginsburg.