It's hard to overstate the impact the 2017 N. Y. Times and The New Yorker's concurrent bombshell articles about Harvey Weinstein's sexual harassment and assault accusations had not only on Hollywood, but the corporate world in general. Director Maria Schrader's SHE SAID is an effective take on the Times' reportage centering on two of the writers of the piece, Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan) and Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan).Rebecca Lenkiewicz' screenplay takes a personalized viewpoint on the events. Kantor and Twohey are working mothers who have to balance their professional and personal lives while also bringing that perspective to their investigation of Weinstein's misconduct. The third writer on the article, Rebecca Corbit (Patricia Clarkson), is seen as more of the seasoned editorial hand in the process.All three actresses are steely and steady, without the histrionics often associated with dramas based on true events. Their characters are all about understanding, compassion and getting the facts right. What truly elevates the movie are the performances of the accusers in the case. Ashley Judd gets the headlines in the resultant article (she plays herself here), but, it's Angela Yeoh, Jennifer Ehle and Samantha Morton as a trio of lesser known assistants who really bring home the human cost of Weinstein's brutality. Ehle and Morton in particular, are exceptional, creating true flesh and blood women with a minimum of screen time. One gets a true sense not only of careers ruined, but, of lives irrevocably altered. Anastasia Barzee makes an effective villain as a win at all cost Weinstein lawyer (Lisa Bloom). Andre Braugher is strong as NY Times executive editor Dean Baquet.Schrader's Direction is solid, but never showy. She keeps the focus on the performances and journalism angle --and film is all the more effective for it. Perhaps more of a delay in time could have been warranted here, and there are some extraneous issues brought in. The movie was released with Weinstein on trial in Los Angeles. An argument could be made that some perspective would grow over time, but there is no doubt that SHE SAID states its case assuredly and with impact.
