My film kryptonite is films based around journalists searching for and exposing the truth. Of recent years there have been some classics, Official Secrets showcased the story of a British Whistleblower, The Post focused on the battle between press and power in America and Spotlight investigated cover-ups in the Catholic Church. Each film has it’s own critical story that the everyday person should know about and having it as a dramatic film is an easy way to give an audience a history lesson. She Said is the next in this expanding list of real world fact finding missions and it might just be the most important yet.
She Said follows two New York Times journalist Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor, played brilliantly by Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan, who start investigating sexual abuse in the workplace. The workplace in question is Hollywood and the person in question is Harvey Weinstein as the film focuses on the #MeToo movement that shocked Hollywood.
It is strange to sit there watching She Said as it is a film about one of the worst issues in the industry that made the film. So regularly now do we get films about how amazing life in the film industry is or the great times in Hollywood mixed with hardships of trying to get the role that’ll help you break into the industry. Rarely do we get films that show not just actors and actresses but also those behind the camera and them getting their first roles and their careers. She Said focuses on everyone and never makes you doubt for a second that this event occurred. It is something that happened for decades and not just by one person. People are treated poorly, unfairly and disrespected all over by those in power in Hollywood.
She Said is about real people and what happened to them and so the film isn’t stuck with focusing on the people who are normally in the spotlight. Hundreds of people work on films and each woman’s account in this film covers a variety of roles from runner to assistant to actress.
What the film does best is make it an easier story to watch. For a lot of people this could be an unsettling watch and the film is made in a way of the underdog taking down the great power overshadowing them. Light hearted moments between the two reporters are easily compared to the more serious and dangerous voices of those they are trying to takedown. It makes the film’s motivational purpose even greater and also will hopefully allow the film to be more watchable to all.
She Said fits right in with the every journalist based film, really adds to a marathon of newspapers solving major issues movies. I’ve learnt over the past few years that these films are a great way to be educated about a topic, a place to for some to start educating themselves about certain subjects. Hopefully She Said will make more people want to learn and want for more change in an industry they are constantly giving their money too.
Score: 4/5