She Said (2022)

No-one will forget the shocking allegations launched against Harvey Weinstein a few years back, or indeed the subsequent court appearances and eventual sentencing. Weinstein was jailed in 2020 for his horrific crimes, and the release of an investigative journalism driven film addressing how he was eventually ousted was inevitable- although one would be forgiven for being surprised at a release a mere two years after the sentencing. Maria Schrader’s portrayal of the building of the story by two New York Times journalists, Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor (Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan respectively) is consistently interesting, and at times shocking; most notably a voice recording of Weinstein himself forcing himself on a younger lady. Unfortunately for such a huge story, one that was the launching pad for the #MeToo movement, it feels rushed at times, tripping over itself in its eagerness to impress upon you how important and shocking the story is. The audience is well aware of the horrifying nature of this particular truth, and despite some excellent cameos (most notably Samantha Morton) telling their stories, She Said would have benefited from a slower pace and a stronger build up of tension. One scene in particular feels completely out of place; the two lead investigators join one of their superiors (the always excellent Patricia Clarkson) for a drink and are harassed by a man until Mulligan’s character aggressively shouts at him to “Fuck off”. We’re all aware of this type of awful and unwanted behavior from certain men, but to input an example here seems to be tarring them all with the same brush, and is at odds with the representation of male figures in the newsroom. By the time the credits role, we’re relieved that Weinstein is where he belongs, but that’s more down to the real life happenings rather than the previous two hours of film. She Said seems to be aiming to get the story out rather than dramatise the investigation and, as a result, never hits the heights of something like Spotlight (2015) and certainly doesn’t hold a candle to All The President’s Men (1976). The performances are good, and it certainly offers some heft to have Ashley Judd appear as herself, as someone who was assaulted by Weinstein. She Said is definitely worth a watch, and it’s a story that’s vital to be heard; but a better pacing would certainly have landed a stronger pay off. 6.6/10