She Said is a 2022 American biographical drama film directed by Maria Schrader and written by Rebecca Lenkiewicz, based on the 2019 book by reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey. The film stars Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan as Twohey and Kantor, respectively, and follows their New York Times investigation that exposed Harvey Weinstein’s history of abuse and sexual misconduct against women. Patricia Clarkson, Andre Braugher, Jennifer Ehle, and Samantha Morton co-star, with Ashley Judd appearing as herself. (Wikipedia)
Hollywood loves a yarn involving reporters trying to get to the truth while confronted with numerous challenges and She Said definitely fits the bill. Award-winners like All the President’s Men and Spotlight certainly classify the type of film that this is as firmly of the Oscar-bait variety. The only danger of course is that most of the time, these kinds of films are stripped of all tension as most will be familiar with its outcome.
Thus, how She Said succeeds in engaging us in its narrative is focus more on characters than plot. Kantor and Twohey are portrayed as dedicated journalists juggling work with family life and most will be able to identify with that. But then of course there are the various women who accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault and rape. The film does a good job of letting these women tell their stories in dignified manner, without resorting to sensationalism of any kind.
The trauma that Weinstein inflicted on these women is palpable without having to have seen what he actually did. The power resided in listening to their stories – which was the thrust of the #metoo movement to begin with. Now, this is the appropriate way for Hollywood to represent female empowerment – in a credible manner, something that everybody can align with.
She Said might not be, in our opinion, a legitimate Oscar contender but it’s eminently watchable.
In cinemas now | Official website
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