She Said is a fascinating dramatization of the investigative journalism by Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor of the New York Times that exposed the crimes against women committed by film producer Harvey Weinstein.
The Production: 4.5/5
Based on the true story, New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor(Zoe Kazan) and Megan Twohey(Carey Mulligan) proved that reliable investigative journalism is alive and well in the 21st century in their expose of the crimes against women committed by film mogul Harvey Weinstein. If this sounds to you like a dry subject for a dramatic film, you are mistaken. She Said tells the compelling story of these two Pulitzer Prize winning reporters and their uphill struggle to get people in the film industry to talk about the conspiracy of silence that has allowed Harvey Weinstein and other public figures to avoid accountability for their crimes. She Said is really not about Weinstein at all, it is about Twohey and Kantor and their personal struggles and the story of their investigation to find the truth.
She Said is based on the book of the same name written by Twohey and Kantor, based in turn on their series of newspaper articles which broke open the story of Harvey Weinstein and the enablers who helped him escape culpability. The screenplay by playwright Rebecca Lenkiewicz(Her Naked Skin) tells the reporters’ intriguing story with apparent accuracy, and with little need for dramatic license. The direction by Emmy Award winning director Maria Schrader(Unorthodox) lets the story flow and keeps the camera actively on the move to avoid stagnant sequences dominated by talking heads. Kazan and Mulligan inhabit their roles to the highest degree of verisimilitude as newspaper reporters, and the fine cast of supporting actors includes Patricia Clarkson(House of Cards), Andre Braugher(Brooklyn Nine-Nine), and even Ashley Judd(Double Jeopardy) as herself.
She Said seems like a fast moving film, even at its runtime of over 2 hours. Even if you know the end of the story, the details of the journey to the end may be more interesting in themselves, and She Said proves this in its fascinating and thought provoking search for the truth. It is inspiring that journalism can still speak truth to power in the 21st century, and that a world seemingly filled with misinformation and outright lies still has reliable investigative reporters working in a free press to provide reliable, verified facts to tell the truth.
Video: 5/5
3D Rating: NA
She Said appears on Blu-ray in its original 1.85:1 screen aspect ratio. This is an excellent film transfer to 1080p with no apparent digital artifacts. Blacks are solid without any overt black crush, and both shadow detail and fine detail are presented seemingly without any flaws.
Audio: 4/5
She Said plays the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 by default. The audio is rich with ambient noise when appropriate, but the soundtrack employs the front center and side speakers for the most part. The soundmix may not seem exceptional, but it has no obvious flaws either, with dialogue always audible in relation to sound effects and film score. The original score composed by Nicholas Britell(Andor, Winning Time) is given good service in the audio, and deserves mention for its establishing of mood throughout the film.
Special Features: 1.5/5
She Said has a few special features:
Breaking The Story(6:43): Kantor and Twohey appear in this brief but interesting featurette about telling their true story on film.
Theatrical Trailer(2:32): Theatrical trailer for She Said.
Also included are a DVD of the film and validation code for digital copy of the film.
Last but not least, a cardboard slipcover encloses the plastic case housing the discs.
Overall: 4.5/5
She Said is a fascinating film telling the story behind the story of the investigative journalism that brought down Harvey Weinstein and gave voice to his accusers. This Blu-ray/DVD combo features an excellent video and audio presentation. The special features are minimal, but interesting, and the featurette “Breaking The Story” is recommended viewing for anyone who enjoys the film. She Said is a fascinating look at investigative journalism in the same vein as The Post and All The President’s Men. If you have liked either of those films, then you are certain to appreciate She Said.
Timothy has worked background in theatrical features and television, just for the fun of it, in films directed by Peter Segal and Christopher Nolan. His favorite film star is Bugs Bunny, and Timothy has discovered that most of the problems in life can be solved successfully (strangely enough) by asking “What would Bugs Bunny do?” Timothy has been involved with the Home Theater Forum since 2007 and has reported from Comic Con, interviewed Bruce Campbell and Danny Trejo, and reviewed classic animation and new theatrical releases on disc.
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