Untouchable

This documentary does a wonderful job of pulling back the curtain and helping you understand how Harvey Weinstein was able to get away with his crimes so long, how it impacted those that he hurt, and why they kept silent. It's a documentary that pulls no punches yet never feels overly salacious. It is thoughtful, fascinating, and disturbing.

Any "backlash" against #MeToo is difficult because unlike chasing Soviet spies among Hollywood's greatest talents during McCarthyism or burning witches the purpose of it is surely not absurd and wrong. But this film shows quite a few problematic things with the movement born as a hashtag. The biggest problem I see is the conscious choice of bypassing the official justice system. I mean Weinstein is awaiting a trial now and he surely hopes for a fair one. Only Paz de la Huerta seemed to understand that if you were ready to go on Twitter or before cameras with your accusations, you should make at least a symbolic attempt at approaching the prosecutors to simply maintain some credibility. Other big problems are gossips and inside jokes treated as evidences of guilt. I think the film is premature to put it gently and quite morally questionable despite its noble intentions. "Leaving Neverland" comes to mind, although surely not a premature film - quite the opposite.

This film provides some insight but leaves you with many questions as to why and how this monster was allowed to roam the streets for so long. A deeper dive needs to be taken into this topic with expansion on the how's. . so many in the entertainment industry are aware of the "dirty little secrets" of these rich and powerful (mostly men) in the industry who prey upon the vulnerable using their wealth and power . . . So many time we hear only after decades of abuse - Cosby, Epstein, Kelly to name just a few. Why ? Why do people not want to believe the accusers? Why do the enablers not face consequences for their complicity ? Why does our justice system fail the victims time and again?

Armchair critics who feel expert enough to armchair judge these women don't understand the crippling power of what I call the "death freeze. Really, they don't understand, they just want to feel that it would never happen to them Thank God there are others who offer compassions instead of useless, judge mental comments that only add fodder to the "nobody will believe me, it is my fault" cycle that keeps her in the shadows. What fools.

I am not wasting my time trying to explain something to the elitist hard heads who have no desire to understand.

The same old cycle of blame and shame goes round thanks in part to these kind of comments turning the wheel with their own hands. Get educated or shut up.

If you have been abused, ignore them, They are the ignorant ones. MANY other women know how you feel. Talk to someone. You will be believed. I believe you and no one is to blame for a crime against their body.

Harvey Weinstein was a sexual predator for several decades, he used his power, fame and size to force himself on women and covered it up with restrictive non disclosure agreements. His world came crashing down in 2017 when more than 75 women made allegations of inappropriate behaviour to sexual assault.

Many of these allegations had similarities regarding how Weinstein operated by bringing women alone to his hotel suite where he would quickly get naked like it was natural. Cajoling them to massage him, getting enraged if he was rejected.

As Untouchable went on the testimonies of the women got more harrowing. Yet Harvey Weinstein regarded himself as untouchable, the self proclaimed sheriff who would use his bullying powers to shut critics up. After all his film company Miramax made a name for themselves when it came to their aggressive Oscar campaigns.

However journalists such as Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor ploughed on with their investigations and eventually broke the story in the New York Times. Later Ronan Farrow gathered eye witness accounts for the New Yorker magazine.

Harvey Weinstein's world crumbled and his company went into trouble. He sought shelter behind a rehab clinic to get over his problems and pleaded for second chances.

Some main players were missing in this documentary such as Rose McGowan who at first was vilified for going public with her allegations. However this documentary allowed his less well known accusers an opportunity to tell their tale.

It quickly led to the #MeToo movement. Whether anything in Hollywood change, only time will tell. Women and men are always going to be at risk if producers, investors, directors and others in the performing arts think they are entitled to sexual favours to further careers.