patricia clarkson

Is She Said the portrayal of female journalists we’ve been waiting for? A lot has been written about the depiction of female journalists in She Said, director Maria Schrader and scriptwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s adaptation of New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey’s book about their Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against Harvey Weinstein. Reviewers have praised the film for offering what other investigative journalism movies have not — the female perspective, especially outside the newsroom.

Real-life journalism is rarely cinematic. Behind each written word lies ignored phone calls, rejections, document searches, skittish and irritable people, meetings that circle around uncomfortable topics, and a lot of hustle. Director Maria Schrader (I’m Your Man) and screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz (Small Axe) use these hurdles to show the reporters’ tenacity and intelligence, creating a surprising amount of dramatic tension and momentum.

She Said is the story of New York Times reporters, Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor’s relentless determination to expose extreme sexual harassment in the workplace. Following leads from actresses Rose Mc Gowan and Gwynneth Paltrow, the pair focused on Weinstein and the supply chain of abusers in the movie industry.