There is a certain satisfaction in watching movies like She Said. You know the ending already. You know that the bad guy goes down and that a reckoning eventually occurs. And it is satisfying to watch the protagonists struggle because you already know that they will prevail. But that doesn’t make these movies any easier to watch.
She Said is the biopic about the New York Times journalists, Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor, who published the first exposé about Harvey Weinstein and his history as a sexual predator. I should note that the New York Times itself was entirely complicit in shielding Weinstein for years, but that doesn’t take away from the incredible job these two women did while investigating this story. And their actions, along with Ronan Farrow’s reporting for the New Yorker, helped to kickstart a global conversation about sexual assault, workplace harassment, power dynamics, and consent. Conversations that were frankly long overdue.
So while I enjoyed watching this movie, I will never not be angry that it exists. Harvey Weinstein was able to harass, intimidate, and assault women for decades because an entire system protected him. Yes, he may be in jail now, his name forever tarnished. But the system is still very much in place. And that is infuriating.
Suggestions for artists I should check out? Please contact me with your ideas. I hope you enjoyed your daily helping of art!
