Women Talking (2022)

[StatisticalOutlier]

I swear I looked and didn't see a topic for this, even though it got significant Oscar® nominations, which is what really counts, right?

I think Ben Whishaw, the only man in the cast, totally stole this movie out from under everybody else.  For whatever that signifies.

 

[Simon Boccanegra]

I am seeing this later this week. I've liked all of Sarah Polley's work behind the camera so far. I thought Stories We Tell was one of the best of the last decade. It's not something I saw coming when I was seeing her in movies such as The Sweet Hereafter and Go and thinking she was the most interesting young actress out there. 

[Bastet]

7 hours ago, Simon Boccanegra said:

I've liked all of Sarah Polley's work behind the camera so far. I thought Stories We Tell was one of the best of the last decade. It's not something I saw coming when I was seeing her in movies such as The Sweet Hereafter and Go and thinking she was the most interesting young actress out there. 

Same here, all around.  I'm thrilled she's back behind the camera.  I have a "For Your Consideration" DVD of this thanks to a friend, and greatly look forward to it -- but know I have to be in the right mood, as it will be hard to watch.

Edited January 31, 2023 by Bastet

[AngieBee1]

It was among my top 5 films of last year and I wad absolutely gutted that the cast didn't secure BAFTA nor Oscar nominations. Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley,Judith Ivey and Sheila McCarthy were astounding. 

 

 

[Browncoat]

I saw this today, and thought it was quite good.  They had me convinced it was in the far past, and also that it was in the US.  I was surprised when the census taker said "2010", and then again when they used the Southern Cross for navigation.  Anyone know where this colony was meant to be?

All of their arguments were quite convincing, even though my opinion was that they needed to get out yesterday.

[AngieBee1]

Sarah Polley wanted to keep the location vague. Just like she never specified their religion though the real events took place in Bolivia within a Mennonite colony.

[Milburn Stone]

I have loved movies that were basically all talk (Tàr, and, a few years ago, Locke come to mind) but this one felt to me like "this is what a movie actress-turned-writer thinks that Amish women sound like." I didn't believe them. That made the stakes, for me, meaningless--which it shouldn't have.

Just my personal reaction. And undoubtedly a minority opinion.

[SomeTameGazelle]

On 3/4/2023 at 8:51 AM, Milburn Stone said:

I have loved movies that were basically all talk (Tàr, and, a few years ago, Locke come to mind) but this one felt to me like "this is what a movie actress-turned-writer thinks that Amish women sound like." I didn't believe them. That made the stakes, for me, meaningless--which it shouldn't have.

Just my personal reaction. And undoubtedly a minority opinion.

For what it's worth (and I have neither read the novel nor seen the movie) Miriam Toews, the author of the novel, was raised in a Mennonite family.  However she was not brought up speaking Plautdietsch and according to her Wikipedia page relied on her mother's help to learn her lines phonetically for her role in  the film Silent Light. So although she might not have an entirely insider's perspective it is not entirely an outsider's perspective either.  

[xls]

On 3/4/2023 at 8:51 AM, Milburn Stone said:

I have loved movies that were basically all talk (Tàr, and, a few years ago, Locke come to mind) but this one felt to me like "this is what a movie actress-turned-writer thinks that Amish women sound like." I didn't believe them. That made the stakes, for me, meaningless--which it shouldn't have.

Just my personal reaction. And undoubtedly a minority opinion.

I get the point the move was making, but yes the conversation sounded a lot more highly educated than the women were supposed to be. Also was there not one father brother or uncle of these girls who was angered/outraged by the systemic assault and wanted to protect his daughter? 

[Bastet]

FYI: This is available for streaming on Prime for the next 24 hours.

I watched it last weekend, and the final image and line is still sitting with me.  This is the kind of film I love, but that hardly ever gets made.  I would have been excited for Sarah Polley to return to writing & directing, regardless, but for this to be what she came back with is a joy.  I'd love to see her win Best Adapted Screenplay.

She and the cast (who turned in fantastic performances all around) did a great job expressing the enormity of what these women had to decide - and how heartbreaking each of the options were - in such a short time.  I really liked the pace of the conversation, and when they'd break the tension with laughter.  The young girls being bored much of the time, and saying they'll be dead and everyone will still be talking was the perfect touch in the midst of such high stakes.

Fundamentally, it was terrific to watch individuals listen and change their minds in the interest of a collective.

I like that the flashbacks were limited, and done sparingly, yet still contained such powerful imagery.

"Thank you for saying my name" when Melvin was finally addressed properly was beautiful. 

I also loved Ona declining August's proposal by explaining if she got married she wouldn't be herself, so the woman he loves would be gone.  I thought I was going to be annoyed by his presence, but he wound up fitting in nicely.

Edited March 12, 2023 by Bastet

[Simon Boccanegra]

On 3/11/2023 at 1:22 PM, xls said:

Also was there not one father brother or uncle of these girls who was angered/outraged by the systemic assault and wanted to protect his daughter? 

I have read that that was the case in the real Mennonite colony on which Miriam Toews loosely based her novel. Some men were tranquilized as well to keep them from interfering.  

I was mixed-leaning-positive on the film, and I agree with some of the criticisms voiced above, but I'm happy for Sarah Polley's Adapted Screenplay win anyway. Even if this isn't my favorite of the four feature films she has made (along with her screenplay for the miniseries Alias Grace), it was deserving. It had powerful and eloquent passages and ensemble acting of a high order—unfortunately, of the kind that sometimes keeps any one or two actors from being singled out at awards time.  

Also, at some point in the last decade (around Carol/A Ghost Story time), Rooney Mara became one of my favorite actresses, and she just gets better and better. I liked the combination of warmth and a haunted quality she brought to Ona. She slayed that speech about how, with time and distance, she might be able to understand and forgive the crimes committed against her and the others, but forgiveness cannot be compulsory and on someone else's timetable.  

What do we think of the fringe theory that August was the one responsible for Ona's assault (and pregnancy)? I tend toward "No," but there is an ambiguous reaction shot of him when she says that the child she's carrying is as innocent and blameless as his father once was.

Edited March 15, 2023 by Simon Boccanegra

[Milburn Stone]

On 3/15/2023 at 2:32 AM, Simon Boccanegra said:

Also, at some point in the last decade (around Carol/A Ghost Story time), Rooney Mara became one of my favorite actresses...

I first became aware of her in Side Effects (2013). Soderbergh's camera could not get enough of her. It seemed like 25% of the movie was extreme closeups of her face. And you could understand why.

[Scarlett45]

On 3/15/2023 at 2:32 AM, Simon Boccanegra said:

What do we think of the fringe theory that August was the one responsible for Ona's assault (and pregnancy)? I tend toward "No," but there is an ambiguous reaction shot of him when she says that the child she's carrying is as innocent and blameless as his father once was.

I didn’t see the shot as an indication he was responsible. I saw his tears of pain because he loved her and admired her love for her child, and could still say her rapist was an innocent baby once yet was pained by the evil she had endured. 
 

I had this one on my list for a while, but it’s been a busy couple of months. 
 

It was very good, certainly deserving of Best Adapted Screenplay, but not a movie I would be compelled to watch again. 

[memememe76]

I just watched it and thought it was amazing. Beyond the talking, I feel that movies so rarely display goodness and earnestness. Everything is snarky these days. Visually, I thought it was stunning. 

[cpcathy]

Just watched, at first I thought it was going to be a snooze fest. But then it sucked me in. The music was beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Rooney smile before, and I liked it!