As the 2022 awards race heats up, director Marie Schrader and her new film She Said jump right to the front of the conversation, with swift storytelling, raw emotion, and two lead performances elevated by Schrader’s great direction.
Based on the 2019 book of the same name by New York Times journalists Meg Twohey and Jodi Kantor, the film chronicles Twohey (Carey Mulligan) and Kantor’s (Zoe Kazan) investigation of Harvey Weinstein’s long-running history of sexual assault. In a similar vein to Spotlight, She Said deeply depicts the journalistic coverage and investigation into Weinstein’s abuse and rarely looks outside that lens. So, if you go into the film looking for perspectives outside of Twohey, Kantor, and the women they interview, that’s not really what you get. Even the aftermath of Twohey and Kantor breaking the story isn’t shown, so the breakout of the #MeToo movement is summarized in a few end sentences. However, keeping things focused on Twohey and Kantor’s investigation is actually the film’s greatest strength.
Schrader and screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s storytelling is absolutely immaculate, as they establish the immediate stakes and importance of Twohey and Kantor’s investigation through another major sexual assault case. The sort of prologue that sees Twohey investigating and reporting on sexual assault allegations towards Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential run does a great job setting the stage for Twohey and Kantor digging into Weinstein. It presents the monumental effort it takes to not only investigate and find the truth, but also the necessity to withstand immense backlash and gross harassment from those who look to diminish your voice. Even the gut-punch ending of Twohey’s investigation not changing the outcome of the election reflects the sense of looming defeat that’s felt throughout Twohey and Kantor’s following investigation on Weinstein.
One of the more impressive aspects of Schraeder’s storytelling is the momentum that’s created. Nicholas Brittell’s versatile score not only drives some of the emotion of certain moments–especially the dour feelings of the prologue–but also the pacing and overall feelings as Twohey and Kantor’s investigation gains steam. With each new account and hidden detail that’s uncovered, you can feel the film building towards its climactic result of the truth breaking into the public eye. Plus, as Twohey and Kantor get closer to the truth, you can feel the sense of danger building through some of the obstacles that are placed in front of them and the scrutiny they’re receiving to the point where they must face Weinstein, himself. She Said has such an engaging atmosphere that you can’t help but be sucked into it and you instantly feel hooked by how the film immerses you into its journalistic world.
The vivid details and engaging action of Twohey and Kantor digging deeper really gives viewers a better understanding of what’s important in covering a story like this. From the struggles of getting people to go on the record to getting proof that’s definitive beyond any shadow of a doubt, She Said is a highly engaging and insightful look into journalism in action. It is also a frighteningly real look into the impact of abuse and how this kind of systematic abuse and oppression is protected and preserved.
Schrader captures the stories of women who were abused by Weinstein or were impacted by his oppressive power with a deep sense of care for their perspective and trauma. Rather than reenact the moments for shock value, she instead uses great sound design and horrifying descriptions matched alongside stark shots of the settings the abuse took place in to make this unearthing of the truth leave a chilling impact. Some of the archived audio will literally make your heart sink and stomach churn in disgust. It’s such an effective way to tell these stories and feel the deep, damaging impact of Weinstein’s abuse.
It’s also great how She Said tackles every kind of voice impacted by Weinstein—regardless of fame or obscurity. There are certain names that pop up throughout that are easily recognizable from the original reporting, and their stories weave into the ongoing narrative well. Admittedly, some of the voices used when they couldn’t get the celebrities named on-camera can be a little overdone or off, but these stories still leave their own impact and help build out the narrative of Hollywood protecting abusers like Weinstein. However, it’s the stories of women who were former Miramax employees that really leave the biggest impact since they’re captured in a very real way.
The emotions in these moments feel palpable and leave you stunned into sorrow with how much their hurt sticks with you. Even though it’s been years since these women have faced Weinstein, his shadow still leaves a distinct mark on them and it’s truly like they’re haunted by him, which is a very real reflection of the psychological trauma of sexual assault. Schrader never takes the importance and impact of this story for granted and it’s a big reason why hearing these stories leaves such a deep emotional impact. It’s really what makes watching Twohey and Kantor go through everything to get the truth out so fulfilling and satisfying to watch, because you understand what they’re fighting for and what they’re trying to stop. Instead of just using these stories for easy emotional pull, these voices feel empowered in a meaningful way and come together to really bring viewers on this journey to justice that’s lead by two amazing performances.
Mulligan and Kazan are undoubtedly Oscar-bound for the brilliantly swift determination they bring to every scene and they, along with Schrader’s direction, do something pivotal in depicting Twohey and Kantor. Part of what makes Twohey and Kantor so compelling and engaging is how real they are shown to be throughout the film. The scenes with them at home with their families and their vulnerability show them as real people rather than larger than life figures. Because of this, you can really relate to them and their efforts feel tangible and real. It’s a big way this film really nails its characters and story, ultimately making the simple final moments more satisfying and subtly empowering.
She Said is truly one of the best films of the year, with tons of all-around awards potential and Schrader being a personal Best Director pick. More importantly, it’s an excellently immersive and emotional chronicle of the journalistic process in action, featuring deeply necessary stories of abuse and great craftsmanship in the storytelling and characterization that’s simply unmatched.
