REVIEW: SHE SAID

4/5

Her Story. 

129 Mins. Starring: Carey Mulligan, Zoe Kazan, Patricia Clarkson, Andre Braugher, Jennifer Ehle, Tom Pelphrey, Samantha Morton & Ashley Judd. Director: Maria Schrader. 

'Kiss The Girls'. Sleazy title and quite possibly the worst way to start an article of this nature, but there's a point we're trying to make here. Bear with us. The 1997, Morgan Freeman thriller sequel to 'Along Came A Spider', based off of James Patterson's Alex Cross novel co-starred Ashley Judd. In the midst of the hot-streak of her career, featuring films like 'A Time To Kill' and 'Double Jeopardy'. Far too close to the bone now, this film featured a man who abducted and imprisoned girls, keeping them as sex slaves. We only have to see the documentary series 'Surviving R. Kelly' to learn how much of this really goes on today behind the scenes, even with previously popular people in the public eye. There's a pivotal scene that means so much more now where Ashley Judd's character Kate escapes from her captor, crassly called Casanova. She's drugged and beaten after being assaulted many times. She has to make her way through a cutting and biting forest, whilst delirious in the middle of nowhere. Then, Kate gets to the edge of a cliff with more disorientating branches and what's worse, a waterfall below. Her captor catches up. She takes a look below. Back at him. She jumps. 

And she survives. But that's nothing compared to the jump Ashley Judd took in real life. When she decided to speak about her abuse and harassment that disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein put her and countless other women through. In 'Kiss The Girls' her character Kate in that cliff edge risked it all to escape even worse. In real life Judd risked even more. And that was after Weinstein derailed her runaway career that was really hitting its stride...and still can now in the wake of all this. She's always been an amazing actress. Now, she's an American hero that translates across the whole world and the Me Too movement that finally after so long is giving women a voice and holding men accountable. Having Ashley Judd play herself in 'She Said' gives this movie an authenticity like no other. But it's more than that. Or the fact that this 'Bombshell' beginning movie that also takes Trump to task gives the inspired big-three of investigational journalism movies (Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks' 'The Post', a similar 'Spotlight' ensemble and of course Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman's 'All The President's Men') a run for their broadsheet headlines. 

'Unorthodox' director Maria Schrader doesn't need Hollywood tricks and tropes to hammer this home for a film that is more about the award season it will surely clean up at. Although one harrowing scene playing a tapped conversation between Harvey (if it wasn't for my beautiful family I share it with, I'd be disgraced to have this as my last name and actually stopped using it as a nickname) and one of his victims played out across hotel hallways is more haunting than 'The Shining'. This factual take on The New York Times' investigation about Weinstein's abuse and sexual misconduct, based on the work of the heroic journalists Jodi Kantor, Megan Twohey and Rebecca Corbett and the first two's book of the same name is as straight-forward real as it gets. No Hollywood bulls###...in any form. 'She Said' is not a "that's what" pun or play on words, but the most important movie and movement of our time. 

'Promising Young Woman's' Carey Mulligan ('Never Let Me Go', 'Drive' and 'The Great Gatsby') is no stranger to moments like this. Leading the 'Suffragette' movie movement. But now before the awards she deserves and is bound to get, she gives us one of her best acting performances alongside 'Shame', 'Inside Llewyn Davis' and the wildfire that was 2018's best 'Wildlife'. But it's 'Ruby Sparks', 'The Big Sick' and 'The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs' best story star Zoe Kazan that really takes her moment in this picture that is much about each other as 'The President's Men' was legends Redford AND Hoffman. Actresses like Judd, Rose McGowan (who made the first claim) and Gwyneth Paltrow (who vocally appears as herself in a truly terrifying moment over the phone with Harvey in the room) amongst many, many more were initially afraid of the blowback. But this movie holds hands with one continuous, safety in numbers notion. We can all jump if we do it together. So what if this movie was a box office bomb. It's more than just those numbers. What it's set off is something much more explosive, no one can bury. 

82 women came forward against Harvey Weinstein who is now in prison, serving a 23-year sentence. Who knows how many more? But 'Zero Dark Thirty' and 'The King's Speech' star Jennifer Ehle and 'Minority Report' and 'Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them' star Samantha Morton (finally getting her due this year like Brendan Fraser with 'The Whale' amongst many more give strength and respect to the victims with their heartbreaking, but hopeful performances. 'Brooklyn 99's' Andre Braugher and the always amazing Patricia Clarkson (not to mention a supportive 'Ozark' and 'Iron Fist' standout Tom Pelphrey) also bring fortified roles to the fore at the top of The Times. But it's much more than them, or even our two leads and the real life journalists who are finally getting their respect, words off a page. It's about the real victims who stood up against a horrific and horrifically powerful figure and won. Not just for them, but all the women before them and after who now have the courage to hold up their hand and say, Me Too. Now THAT is a Hollywood movie about real heroes. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Filming: 'Bombshell', 'Spotlight', 'All The President's Men'.