She Said, directed by Maria Schrader takes investigative journalism to another level, as New York Times journalists Megan Twohey (played by Carey Mulligan) and Jodi Kantor (played by Zoe Kazan) spearhead a story that would finally give women a voice to speak out about their experiences against one of most affluent Hollywood producers, Harvey Weinstein.
It is no surprise that powerful men often feel that they are in a position to have the upper hand and can use many forms of coercive control to get what they want. The word “narcissist” is a word that is well-known in our vocabulary, but until we witness this behaviour, it only scratches the surface of what a person with this type of personality disorder can be capable of.
The portrayal of Harvey in this film is chilling. It is a mirrored reflection of many men (in this particular case, but can be applied to any gender, of course) who believe they will never be caught because they are under a delusion that they are untouchable. We are reminded that as this case unfolds, the illusion of this idea is deeply flawed.
The mix of emotions here is strong, as recollections of events are told and of course all the loop holes that impede justice. There is no linear path sometimes for conviction, which is frustrating and we can see the pursuit for the truth is painstakingly hard. We hold an uneasy feeling of wondering if justice will ever prevail.
I thought this film was executed very well and Mulligan and Kazan’s performances exposed their character’s emotions in a raw way that didn’t take away from the story itself, but actually made it stronger. There is always risk to revealing dark secrets when evidence is not clear cut, but the phrase often used of “he said, she said” doesn’t apply here as all the pieces come together and we get to see more people come out of the shadows and one of the most prolific New York Time stories published that can never be unseen.
Some may feel that Weinstein was just another victim of his earlier life circumstances, plagued by mental illness and the incredible pressures of the Hollywood lifestyle. These and many other factors allowed for his behaviours to be overlooked and unnoticed.
She Said is a liberating film to watch and as I reflected, I thought of a song that I loved to karaoke. It is called Voices Carry – by 'Til Tuesday with an empowering chorus “hush, hush, keep it down now, voices carry” which can be an anthem sung loudly for women (or any person for that matter) who has experienced the devastating and often long-standing wounds of abuse.
💜Resources to reach out to:
