Director Maria Schrader’s She Said is powerful and powerfully sad. Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s screenplay, based on the book by New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, chronicles the downfall of Miramax CEO Harvey Weinstein, who’s in prison for rape and sexual assault.
In the bigger picture, She Said is a thoughtful cautionary narrative of the repugnance of bullies and sexual predators like Weinstein, men who abuse their power, and their enablers, the ones who quietly stand by. That abusive culture still exists. In the She Said poignant narrative arc, Weinstein’s first victim, the now-middle-aged Laura Madden, played by strong Jennifer Ehle, says, “I was silenced. I want my voice back…” She Said offers a possibility for those who were silenced by rape and sexual assault to get their voices back.
In 2016, New York Times reporter Megan Twohey, played by Carey Mulligan, investigated the alleged sexual misconduct of then Presidential Candidate Donald Trump. Megan spoke with the alleged victims of Trump. Trump would become President of the United States. Still, Megan exposed the status quo culture where men in power sexually abuse women without consequence.
New York Times Investigative Editor Rebecca Corbett and Executive Editor Dean Baquet, played by strong Patricia Clarkson and stalwart Andre Braugher, want to expose the extensive sexual abuse in the industry, in the workplace, where most of the victims are women.
Zoe Kazan plays intrepid Times investigative reporter Jodi Kantor, who receives a lead on the sexual abuse at Miramax, where Harvey Weinstein is CEO. Jodi is married and a young mother of three daughters. Jodi takes a call from an unnamed source at Miramax. Jodi contacts Megan Twohey for advice on the story.
New mother Megan suffers from postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter. The victims of Weinstein’s assault contact Jodi, but they will not publicly come forward to out Weinstein for his atrocities. Jodi asks Megan how she got Donald Trump’s accusers to come forward. Megan quietly said she reassured them, “Together we may be able to protect other people.”
Jodi and Megan research to expose the culture of sexual abuse proliferated by Harvey Weinstein. It’s personal for Megan and Jodi. They want their daughters to grow up in a world where they are safe from sexual abuse and assault. They literally travel the world to talk with Weinstein’s victims in hopes that some will speak on the record. Both Zoe Kazan and Carey Mulligan are vulnerable and strong as Jodi and Megan.
One of those women is Rowena Chui, played by vulnerable Angela Yeoh. In the touching narrative arc, Jodi locates Rowena and talks with her husband, Andrew Cheung, played by compassionate Edward Astor Chin. Jodi asks if she can speak with Rowena about the systemic sexual abuse at Miramax. Andrew was aware that his wife worked for Miramax. Still, he’s at a loss as to why Jodi wants to speak with her.
I watched the bewildered, distressed look on Andrew’s gentle face. I cried. Rowena never told him that she was raped. I have friends who have survived sexual assault. I get that they suffered in silence for years, and the impact that had on those they love.
This is the profound power of She Said. No one needs to suffer in silence as a victim of sexual assault and abuse. It’s all our job to change this culture. I’m more than just saying. That’s what She Said is saying, too.
Watch the official movie trailer:
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Photo credit: Shutterstock, modified