However, watching She Said in the current moment — one in which #MeToo’s momentum has been indelibly stunted by the COVID pandemic and other factors — acts as a pertinent reminder. It’s a reminder not just of the careers lost and lives derailed by this powerful man who abused with impunity; it’s also a reminder of the systems that enabled him. It’s a reminder of the structures that continue to enable sexual harassment and abuse everywhere. More than anything, She Said is an inspiring reminder of the collective of women who stood up to Weinstein when he assumed nobody would.
Three of Weinstein’s less famous accusers are depicted by actors as both their 2017 selves and in flashbacks to their younger years when they fell prey to Weinstein. It is these scenes that will most break your heart and infuriate you. (“It was like he took my voice that day,” we hear one despair, “just when I was about to start finding it.”) You’ll also marvel at the inner strength and dogged determination of Kantor and Twohey as they collect Weinstein horror story after Weinstein horror story, unsure if they’ll ever even be able to share them with the public.
Part of She Said’s success lies in the movie’s blending of the real and the recreated. Ashley Judd appears as herself, reenacting the interviews she conducted with Kantor. The now-infamous real audio of Weinstein bullying — and admitting to groping — Ambra Battilana is played over footage of an eerily empty hotel hallway. We don’t see Gwyneth Paltrow or Rose McGowan, but we hear convincing impersonations of them on phone calls. A body double viewed only from behind is used to depict Harvey Weinstein’s visit to The New York Times office, a move recalled as one of his many intimidation tactics. The choice to feature all of these very famous figures primarily off-screen — thereby avoiding the potential for distracting imitations — is a smart one that keeps the narrative on track.
In its promotional materials, She Said has utilized appearances from the real women behind the story. One of them is Laura Madden, the woman depicted in She Said’s devastating opening scenes. “He did this to all these women,” Madden recalls now, “and I felt sad for myself that that young girl had taken the blame for it.” For the women involved, She Said is undoubtedly another step on the path to healing. For everyone else, it is one of this year’s must-see movies.
‘She Said’ opens in theaters on Friday, Nov. 18.