At any given time, countless talented young people endure long days at grueling, demeaning, tedious, entry-level jobs, hoping for a payoff. The protagonist in “The Assistant” (2020) is one such talented young lady. But in a dramatic twist, I was the one enduring her long, grueling, demeaning day at her entry-level job, hoping for a payoff. It’s insinuated that her boss is a movie mogul in the vein of Harvey Weinstein, replete with unhealthy libido and filthy casting couch. We never see him, only circumstantial evidence and muffled conversation. Spoiler alert: no payoff, just painful quiet and unmet expectations.