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.