She Said

She Said

A drama film. Released in 2022. 135 minutes. Directed by Maria Schrader. Starring Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan. Based on the nonfiction book She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement published in 2019 and written by Jodi Kanor and Megan Twohey. I saw it in January and February 2023 at Movix Kameari.

It depicts two journalists at New York Times who struggled to accuse a film producer named Harvey Weinstein who had had a huge influence in the industry and had covered up many of his sexual crimes.

Before watching it, although Mulligan could have given a good performance as a young woman who retaliates against a rapist and his male and female followers in Promising Young Woman, yet I had doubted that the baby-faced Mulligan could really act the role of the journalist who confronts the great evil, however, it was just needless worries. She superbly expressed her graceful strength and boldness, not to mention her cuteness. She charmed me especially when the journalist played by her shouted the f-word several times to a guy who persistently tried to pick up the woman in a bar.

It depicts not a simple conflict between men and women but a struggle between the despicable man continuously defended by his male and female hangars-on using law and The New York Times which rises up against them in order to avenge the humiliation of the female victims including superstars like Ashley Judd and Gwyneth Paltrow who were sexually abused by the nasty guy. Supported by their husbands and bosses, Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor patiently continued to interview the victims and cover his crimes with fortitude. Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan gave dignified and fascinating performances as the two journalists. Then I felt catharsis when the "publish" button was finally clicked right after they and their bosses checked the article to accuse him on the computer display several times.

Samantha Morton also acted a furious woman who is friends with one of the victims. She gave an impressive performance as if she had a personal rancor against Weinstein or someone.

As for the 2019 flick Bombshell, it got nominated for three Academy Awards, nevertheless, the 2022 one received no Oscar nominations. I suspect that many of the Academy Award members still feel an obligation for Weinstein and think deep down that sexual harassment is okay to some extent. Top Gun: Maverick and Elvis, which I watched at theaters, have gotten nominated for the 2023 Academy Award for Best Picture, which has made me feel delightful. Other Oscar-nominated films must be more wonderful than She Said.

シー・セッド

『SHE SAID/シー・セッド その名を暴け』

ドラマ映画。2022年公開。135分。マリア・シュラーダー監督作。主演はキャリー・マリガンとゾーイ・カザン。原作は2019年に出版されたミーガン・トゥーイーとジョディー・カンター共著のノンフィクション『その名を暴け－#MeTooに火をつけたジャーナリストたちの闘い－』。2023年１月と２月にMovix亀有にて観覧。

自身の性犯罪の数々をもみ消してきた映画界の大物プロデューサー、ハーヴェイ・ワインスタイン、を告発すべく奔走するニューヨーク・タイムズ紙の二人の記者の物語。

観賞前は、『プロミシング・ヤング・ウーマン』ではレイプ犯を擁護する女性を含めた仲間たちに復讐する役を童顔ながら全うしていたが、キャリー・マリガンが果たして本作の巨悪に挑む役を演じられるのかな、と思っていたが、それは杞憂に終わった。彼女は、可愛らしさを保ちつつもしなやかな強さや大胆さを見事に表出していた。特に、バーで男にナンパされる場面でのＦワードを連発する姿には惚れ惚れした。

単なる男女間の対立ではなく、その卑劣漢を擁護する、女性を含めた彼の取り巻きたちや、彼を守り続けた法システムに挑んだ、そして、グウィネス・パルトローやアシュレイ・ジャッドのような大物俳優を含めた、長年沈黙を強いられた被害女性の方々の屈辱感を払拭すべく立ち上がったニューヨーク・タイムズ紙の闘い。夫たちや会社の上司たちに支えられながら、被害者たちへの取材を不屈の精神で粘り強く続けたミーガン・トゥーイーとジョディー・カンター。二人を演じたキャリーとゾーイ・カザンがそれぞれ凛々しくて魅力的だ。そして、上司たちとギリギリまで確認し合った告発記事が投稿される時のクリックにカタルシスを感じた。

サマンサ・モートンも被害女性の友人役で出演。ワインスタインに恨みがあるのか、はたまた、似たような経験があったのか、心に残る迫真の演技だった。

2019年作の『スキャンダル』はアカデミー賞の３部門にノミネートされたが、映画人の多くがまだワインスタインに恩義を感じているのか、多少のセクハラ行為は是だとまだ内心思っているのか、本作は全部門でノミネートすらされていない。観覧した『トップガン マーヴェリック』や『エルヴィス』のノミネートは嬉しかったが、ほかのオスカー候補の作品もまた『シー・セッド』より素晴らしいのだろう。