FilmSnobReviews

Title: She Said
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Maria Schrader
Starring: Zoe Kazan, Carey Mulligan, Andre Braugher
Runtime: 2 hr 9 mins

What It Is: Two New York Times reporters Megan Twohey (Mulligan) and Jodi Kantor (Kazan) are investigating something many know exist but never want to discuss…the allegation of sexual assault against former film producing powerhouse and leader at Miramax and later The Wienstein Company, Harvey Weinstein. This investigation will lead to a firestorm that ignites a movement. All this uncovering a monster that’s been hiding in the closet the entire time, one fed on secrets and silence. On fear and intimidation. Now all the skeletons in the closet are on there way out.

What We Think: Most of the performances in this are top-tier. Our dynamic duo of Mulligan and Kazan really show off their performing muscles here with heft. They are jugglers here as their characters work and live and raise families all while trying to nail down one of the biggest serial abusers in Hollywood. Rebecca Lenkiewicz script also juggles. It juggles subtle humanistic moments with the raw pain of the situations it is based on. It’s a testament to the writing of the actual news article this script was structured around. Maria Schrader’s direction is really splendid. She handles everything with a deft touch and that’s what was required with such a heavy topic.

Our Grade: A, A sleeper for one of the best films of the year. The film has a gravitational pull with the mass of injustice it covers. All of it is packaged in a way that makes it a difficult watch for us the audience but allows us to understand the perspective of the victims. It also really make these investigative journalists into three dimensional human characters. A must see even if you’re not someone who like the #metoo movement.