Still, I couldn't help but wonder about some of its choices. And "CODA," like any movie staking out new representational ground, shouldn't be expected to cover them all. The emotional dynamics between hearing and deaf family members are full of rich, dramatic possibilities. But you also sense the gap that's opened up between them, aggravated by uncertainty about money and the family's future. It's clear how close Ruby is to her parents and brother. The scenes of the family communicating at home are also a pleasure, even when the arguments get overheated. JONES: (As Ruby, singing) All that I need to get byĬHANG: It might surprise some viewers to learn that "CODA" is an American remake of a 2014 French film called "La Famille Belier" since its richly textured portrait of a New England fishing community is one of the best things about it. You're all - all that I need, all that I need. We got love - sure enough, that's enough. I will go where you lead, always there in time of need.ĮMILIA JONES AND FERDIA WALSH-PEELO: (As Ruby and Miles, singing) And when I lose my will, you'll be there to push me up the hill. I'll sacrifice for you, dedicate my life to you. With my arms opened wide, I threw away my pride. And this being a coming-of-age story, there, of course, has to be a romance with a nice boy and her music class, whom Ruby pairs up with at one point for a duet of "You're All I Need To Get By."ĮMILIA JONES: (As Ruby, singing) Like the sweet morning dew, I took one look at you and it was plain to see, you were my destiny. She begins singing at school and thrives under a teacher who encourages her to apply to Berklee College of Music. Ruby is pretty tired of it herself, especially when life starts presenting other possibilities. And he often resents his younger sister for being their trusted go-between - St. He hates the ways he and his parents are marginalized for being deaf. Ruby's older brother, Leo, played by Daniel Durant, is just as defiant. But it's partly their way of showing how unconcerned they are with what others, especially hearing people, think of them. Ruby is often embarrassed by their behavior at home and in public. They're an endearingly rough around the edges duo with a coarse sense of humor that the movie exaggerates for comic effect. She plays Ruby's mom, Jackie, while Troy Kotsur plays her dad, Frank. Notably, the deaf characters are all played by deaf performers thanks to the behind-the-scenes efforts of the movie's best known actor, Marlee Matlin. And while I winced at it's contrivances, I was also undeniably moved by it in ways that caught me off guard. "CODA" strikes me as both clumsy and lovely. Not to be too equivocal about it, but I think there's an element of truth to all these arguments. It's been praised for putting a spotlight on deaf characters, but also criticized for putting a hearing character front and center. It's also proved unexpectedly divisive - rapturously received by many at Sundance for its sweet, heartfelt emotion, it's also been dismissed by others as bland and sentimental. But it uses that formula to show us characters and experiences we seldom see in movies. "CODA" is an unabashedly formulaic coming-of-age story. That's a pretty pat irony, but the writer-director Sian Heder seems well aware of it. Ruby is also a talented singer and wants to attend music school in Boston, but she worries that her family might not be able to get by without her and that they'll never understand her love for music. They run a scrappy fishing business in Gloucester, Mass., and Ruby spends a lot of time helping out, joining the family on the water every morning before school and serving as their interpreter. Here it refers to a teenager named Ruby, played by a terrific Emilia Jones, who's the only hearing member of her close-knit family. JUSTIN CHANG, BYLINE: The title of the new movie "CODA" is an acronym for child of deaf adults. "CODA" tells the story of a teenage child of deaf parents, one of whom is played by Marlee Matlin, more than three decades after her Oscar win for "Children Of A Lesser God." Our film critic Justin Chang has this review of "CODA." Now it's playing in theaters and is streaming on Apple TV+. The independent drama "CODA" was the runaway hit of this year's virtual Sundance Film Festival, where it won four awards in the American dramatic competition.
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