Movie · 2022 · Drama, History · 2h 9m · R · English
Curator score: 6.0/10 (160.8K ratings)
"Will you go on the record?"
Overview
New York Times reporters Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor break one of the most important stories in a generation — a story that helped launch the #MeToo movement and shattered decades of silence around the subject of sexual assault in Hollywood.
Ratings
Curator score: 6.0/10
IMDb: 7.3/10
Letterboxd: 3.57/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
Metacritic: 74
TMDB: 7.2/10
Director
Maria Schrader
Production
Plan B Entertainment, Annapurna Pictures, Universal Pictures
Cast
Carey Mulligan, Zoe Kazan, Patricia Clarkson, Andre Braugher, Lola Petticrew, Katherine Laheen, Emma Clare O'Connor, Tom Pelphrey, Dalya Knapp, Emery Ellis Harper, Adam Shapiro, James Austin Johnson, Katie Nisa, Frank Wood, Sarah Ann Masse, Mike Spara, Traci Wolfe, Sujata Eyrick, Shirley Rumierk, Judith Godrèche
Where to watch
Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus
Curator Review
Verdict
A serious, well-acted newsroom drama that treats a major cultural reckoning with restraint and respect, but it can feel too procedural and emotionally muted for its own good. The film’s strength is its clarity and moral purpose; its weakness is that it rarely turns that urgency into a truly gripping cinematic experience.
Best for
viewers who like restrained journalism dramas
audiences interested in #MeToo and institutional accountability
fans of Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan
people who prefer sober, fact-driven true stories
Skip if
you want a propulsive thriller
you need strong character arcs and emotional catharsis
you find procedural reporting scenes dry
you prefer films that dramatize rather than observe
Overview
She Said is an important film that understands the weight of its subject and largely refuses to sensationalize it. That restraint gives the story dignity, and the performances from Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan keep the film grounded in professional urgency and quiet moral pressure.
Worth noting
At the same time, the movie often feels more dutiful than dramatic. It captures the mechanics of reporting and the bravery of survivors, but it doesn’t always find a cinematic shape that matches the historical significance of the material.
Bottom line
What remains is a respectful, polished newsroom drama with real value, especially for viewers who appreciate process and principle over melodrama. It may not hit as hard as the story deserves, but it still lands as a serious and worthwhile account of a turning point in modern culture.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Sydney🚀 (2.5★) · 2371 likes
It’s disheartening to give a film like She Said a negative rating, even if it’s honest - this is something that affected real women, and resulted from a corrupt and abusive system in Hollywood (and everywhere else) that still exists today. I’m glad it was made. But there was still a conscious decision not to make a documentary here, and in a genre that champions the likes of Spotlight it is hard not to feel underwhelmed by She Said’s weak… more It’s disheartening to give a film like She Said a negative rating, even if it’s honest - this is something that affected real women, and resulted from a corrupt and abusive system in Hollywood (and everywhere else) that still exists today. I’m glad it was made. But there was still a conscious decision not to make a documentary here, and in a genre that champions the likes of Spotlight it is hard not to feel underwhelmed by She Said’s weak… more
jonathan fujii (4★) · 1489 likes
90% of this movie are cell phones ringing and it’s great
B E R T (4★) · 1079 likes
Produced by Brad Pitt? Lol. Ok. That’s a rather unfortunate and ironic blemish this otherwise excellent movie has to deal with isn’t it?
Excellent story, told exceptionally well with superb performances by its stellar female cast. Zoe Kazan is very strong in leading the film, and shoutout must also go to Samantha Morton, Jennifer Ehle and to Ashley Judd for her bravery, very admirable of her.
But yeah, produced by Brad Pitt. Hmmmm.
zoë rose bryant (4.5★) · 769 likes
She Said is not only one of the best films of the year, but also an essential example of how important it is that women tell women’s stories, and a riveting reminder that it was two working moms who took down Harvey Weinstein and changed the world.
My full review for We Live Entertainment
2022 RankedAnnapurna Ranked
Bryan Espitia (2.5★) · 726 likes
Well-intentioned but leaves a lot to be desired both in the writing and behind the camera. An undeniably important story to be told but there has to be a better way to express it cinematically than this. Also runs into the issue of celebrities obviously being an integral part of the story, yet the impersonations/cameos ending up more weirdly goofy and distracting than anything else. Samantha Morton deserves a shout out though, she might have the best scene and performance in the whole film.