She Said
She Said is playing in theaters at the time of writing. Rated R. Common Sense says 15.
STORY: A
Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor break the story of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein’s systematic abuse and ignite a movement against the acceptance of sexual assault in both Hollywood and the world.
Taking phone calls and reviewing police records rarely screams “Cinema!” But occasionally, like here, it does. She Said‘s story unspools with unrelenting urgency and energy. My first thought is to liken its story to an onion. Every time the investigators peel away another vile and horrid layer, the film becomes more and more riveting. Yet that’s not a completely accurate comparison. An onion grows smaller every time it loses a layer. This film explodes, expanding in power not unlike the way All the President’s Men does.
PEOPLE: A
There are literally dozens of incredible performances in this movie. Whether they get five minutes or five seconds of screen time, every woman we meet who survived Weinstein’s abuse drills down to the most sensitive parts of our hearts. Co-lead Carey Mulligan knocks it out of the park (should we be surprised?). Patricia Clarkson and Andre Braugher play the upper brass of the New York Times exactly the way I imagine (and greatly hope) they act in real life - with dedication and ferocity.
Zoe Kazan’s performance is the best of the bunch. She cries the way most people yawn. That is to say, her tears are contagious. Each time I saw her cry, I found myself helpless against the tears tearing their way out of my eyes. Kazan has the ability to make you feel everything she feels, and then some.
FILM GEEK STUFF: A-
There are a lot of conversations in She Said. A lot. The movie occasionally steals a move from the famous classic television show, The West Wing. That show was built on conversations, so they would spice it up by having its characters talk while they walked tore butt through the White House at Mach 10 speeds (this is popularly referred to as “walk and talk”). The movement of the characters and camera adds visual energy that would be missing if the conversations took place seated at a table.
She Said goes one step further. As the women walk, the film fills the frame’s edges with men. Sometimes they hover close to Jody and Megan. Other times they float further away, blurred. But they’re always lurking about the peripheries of the reporters’ conversations. Are the construction workers going to start cat-calling? Is the fuzzy man who just walked in the restaurant one of Weinstein’s thugs? Like the characters (and actual real life women, all day every day), you’re constantly on guard. It’s an effective, artful way to keep the tension - and the audience’s attention - going for the entirety of the film.
HELPERS: A
There’s a Mr. Rogers quote that often gets trotted out when acts of terror monopolize the news. “Look for the helpers,” he told kids. It’s wise, if not complete, advice (here is an extremely insightful article in The Atlantic about why). It’s a quote that wouldn’t leave my mind as I watched this heroic group of women - the investigators, the newspaper staff, and the brave survivors who came forward - confront this monster.
The monsters get all the attention. Their names are always written in huge, size 24 font headlines. Everyone knows who Harvey Weinstein is, even people who don’t watch movies. She Said makes sure we see every one of these courageous women who brought down this beastly ogre of a human being. Movie screens are way bigger than any newspaper headline. The film delivers a vital message: perhaps the best place to look for the helpers is the mirror. Monsters thrive in a world where everyone is waiting for someone else to be the helper.
FINAL COMMENTS:
We take the news for granted.. It’s not as easy as, “Something happened, we found out, so we wrote about it.” Without relentless warriors such as these women, many more Weinsteins of the world would still be ruining countless lives without consequence. We need capable, principled reporters. If you think you might see one when you look in the mirror, please consider being a helper.
Maybe this story feels so real because this is relatively recent history. Maybe it feels so real because of the way the film weaves real people and real voices into its narrative. Or maybe the reason it feels real is because it’s an unbelievably well acted, well produced, well written movie. Add it to the list of great investigation movies.