On October 5, 2017, journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey published an article in the New York Times that exposed Harvey Weinstein’s lengthy history of sexual assaults and catapulted the #MeToo movement into the mainstream lexicon. Kantor and Twohey’s incredible work is brought to life on the screen in She Said, a powerful drama adapted by Independent Spirit Award nominee Rebecca Lenkiewicz (Colette) and directed by Emmy Award winner Maria Schrader (Unorthodox).
She Said delves into Kantor and Twohey’s research process and how their award-winning exposé rocked Hollywood and heightened public awareness of the prevalence of sexual harassment in workplaces in the entertainment industry and beyond.
In 2022, the #MeToo movement’s widely accepted and embraced as pivotal in spurring changes in behavior both inside and outside the workplace. As for Weinstein, the disgraced media mogul and sexual predator was sentenced to 23 years in jail – and is facing further charges in California. Yet even now, Weinstein’s decades of sexual abuse of employees and actors remain a shocking story that deserves to continue to be examined in depth. In particular, it’s important to understand who enabled it, who ignored it, and who ultimately spoke up against his abusive behavior.
She Said does a remarkable job of taking a subject that nearly all audience members know of and adding layers that make it compelling viewing. Two-time Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan and Emmy nominee Zoe Kazan lead the outstanding ensemble as journalists Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor, respectively. The R-rated drama walks us through Twohey and Kantor’s investigation of Weinstein’s multiple improprieties and how difficult it was to pull together a news story given how justifiably reluctant Weinstein’s victims were to go public with their experiences.
Harvey Weinstein was one of the most powerful players in Hollywood as co-founder of Miramax. Weinstein was mentioned in more than 30 Oscar acceptance speeches and could kill careers with a single phone call. Speaking out against a man this powerful and connected within the entertainment industry took an enormous amount of courage. Going on the record for a feature in the NYT meant risking further alienation from the industry.
She Said, like the article and follow-up book that inspired it, reveals the gut-wrenching decision process the victims went through after being approached by Twohey and Kantor. The film provides a riveting look behind-the-scenes at the attempts by Weinstein and his lawyers to squash the story. Also worth noting is the depiction of attorney Lisa Bloom – Gloria Allred’s daughter – as someone who sided with Weinstein and disparaged the victims. That’s one aspect of the story that’s not as well publicized as the actual assault claims but is well deserving of attention.
If it weren’t for the extraordinary bravery of Ashley Judd stepping up and giving permission to use her name and quotes in the article, it’s possible Weinstein would never have been brought to justice. There’s strength in numbers and Judd’s decision sparked other brave women to go public and speak up about the abuse they’d suffered. These unexpected allies took down a studio executive and were integral in changing the predatorial atmosphere in Hollywood.
Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan are fantastic as the pair of NYT reporters who made workplaces safer for women as the result of their game-changing article. Jennifer Ehle as Miramax employee Laura Madden and Samantha Morton as Weinstein’s former assistant Zelda Perkins deliver powerful performances in supporting roles. She Said also benefits from the involvement of Ashley Judd lending the story a real authenticity by appearing as herself.
Maria Schrader assembled an impressive team behind the scenes including editor Hansjörg Weißbrich, cinematographer Natasha Braier, and composer Nicholas Britell. Each adds depth and richness to this character-driven drama.
She Said earns a spot among the better films about journalists. It’s firmly nestled in a list that includes – but isn’t limited to – All the President’s Men, Spotlight, and Zodiac. Furthermore, Schrader’s take on Twohey and Kantor’s Pulitzer Prize-winning work is an important asset in the fight to shine a spotlight on harassment and abuse in the workplace.
GRADE: A
MPAA Rating: R for language and descriptions of sexual assault
Release Date: November 18, 2022
Running Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Studio: Universal Pictures
