Written by Rebecca Lenkiewicz (screenplay)
Directed by Maria Schrader
Starring Carey Mulligan, Zoe Kazan, Patricia Clarkson, Andre Braugher and Jennifer Ehle
Running time 2 hours and 8 minutes
In theaters Friday

by Rosalie Kicks, Editor in Chief and Old Sport

“He took my voice that day… just as I was starting to find it.’

She Said chronicles the series of events that led to two New York Times investigative reporters, Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) and Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan), breaking the story concerning sexual assault and harassment by infamous movie mogul, Harvey Weinstein. Their coverage of this subject would in turn spark a movement that would uncover systemic issues across various industries.

In writing this review, I struggled with being able to convey my feelings on the motion picture itself. Due to the subject matter, I was prepared for a rough watch and was not expecting to have an enjoyable experience. Inevitably, it was difficult for me to find an overall purpose for this picture, given the means that were used to depict the narrative. Much of the time is spent via one-sided telephone calls and detailed conversations between Megan and Jodi. it is not to say that what was being spoken was not important, I just don’t feel it needed to be expressed through a motion picture. By the end of the film I found it more than delivered on my expectations as it left me feeling emotionally exhausted.

In walking out of the cinema, I was left to ponder not just who the intended audience for this film is, but ultimately what the filmmaker is hoping the viewer takes away from it. I believe this is a movie that needs to be watched, but unfortunately won’t be seen by those who actually NEED to watch it. Regardless of who it reaches, I won’t deny that this is an important film to be released into the world. However, where my struggle lies is with the motivation. Besides it reiterating how terribly evil human beings can be, I am not sure this film is really telling me more than what was already known if someone has read any amount of information on the subject at hand. The movie is not treading new ground as much of the information has previously been revealed through multiple books, articles, and accounts from victims. If anything, it only reaffirms that as a society we are disgusting. She Said, serves as a reminder that there has always been more processes and measures in place to keep the abusers safe rather than those that are harmed.

In terms of production value and dialogue, She Said plays off as an impressive television movie. I do not want to weigh heavily on the production or style itself, given the necessity for stories such as this to be told. Often with depictions of a real life situation (especially concerning an account of a newsroom) such as this I think it should be expected that the film will have a more of substance over style approach. It is clear that She Said is a procedural story that manages to achieve its objectives, unfortunately with little to no tension. It is not to say that the actors themselves did not show up for work; if anything Kazan and Mulligan gave it there all for the material they had to work with.

The best moments were those in which the characters found themselves conversing with the subjects of the article. A particular scene that stands out is Laura Madden’s (Jennifer Ehle) retelling of her interaction with Weinstein. Laura is first introduced at the opening of the film. In 1992, she was hired to work on a film set in Ireland, a series of clips show her on the production and ends with her running down a street hysterically crying. Later in the film, Jodi meets with Laura who is now a forty-something year old mother. Laura gives a heartbreaking account of her interaction with Weinstein. Learning of her feeling of shame after the event occurred and the line, “it dictated my decisions from that point on” really stuck with me. It showed the lasting impact that this one moment in time caused this person. Her interaction with Weinstein caused life-long trauma which inevitably changed the course of her life. He caused her to leave a career in film despite her love for the work and ultimately robbed her of her existence.

As Megan and Jodi conduct their investigation, they interact with several of Harvey’s victims, many that are unable to share their stories due to confidentiality clauses and legal tomfoolery. In building trust with their subjects the reporters manage to speak to several of the women off the record. Each time they were interacting with one of the victims, I found these were truly the stand out moments. The film undeniably shows that the abuse and horrific behavior from Weinstein caused an eternity of agony for his victims. Many saw their dreams of working in the film industry shattered or cut short. Sometimes this decision was made due to protect their mental health, but often it was a choice made for them due to black-balling. Without a doubt, all of these women lost more than a job. Some lost their security, others their individuality or voice, and instead found themselves left with an endless void of despair.

Before the credits roll, title cards hit the screen sharing some of the changes that occurred due to the story such as more people coming forward to share their accounts, an increase in training among the workplace and the imprisonment of Weinstein himself. Of course, these are some wins to celebrate, but it clearly shows what a long way we still have to go and that only the surface has been scratched.