Women Talking
Women Talking
Starring Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Frances McDormand
Directed by Sarah Polley
After enduring years of being raped by the men of their Mennonite community, one of their own was sent to prison, and the other men of the community left to put up bail for the man in jail, leaving the women behind for two days. They hold a vote as to what to do - stay and do nothing, stay and fight, or leave. The vote resulted in a three-way tie, and eleven women were elected to come to a definite decision for all the women in the community. Meeting in the hayloft of a barn is Ona (Rooney Mara), a single woman who's carrying the child of her rapist; Salome (Claire Foy) who assaulted a man after he raped her, and who wants to stay and fight to protect her daughter; Mariche (Jessie Buckley) who's husband abuses and beats her, and she wants to stay and fight as well; Agata (Judith Ivey) and Greta (Sheila McCarthy), the elders of the group, who want to leave; and Scarface Janz (Frances McDormand) who wishes to stay and do nothing out of fear of eternal damnation. The lone man in the group is schoolteacher August (Ben Whishaw) who takes the minutes because none of the women can read or write. Throughout the two days the women argue and debate about the pros and cons of leaving or staying, fighting or hiding, as well as discussing their fears, worries, and religious convictions that drive their ultimate decision.
Film is a visual medium, and when the film takes place almost entirely in one setting where no action is being done apart from conversations, you risk the audience losing interest. "Women Talking" is one such film that relies solely on the strength of the actresses involved and their ability to keep your attention and allow you to become immersed in their predicament sight basically unseen. While we see snippets of horrific moments, we hear their stories through their voices, and are moved beyond measure. The actresses exude a strength that's unparalleled, resulting in an unforgettable film that highlights the strength of women as well as focusing on the severity of their shared nightmare.
It's almost impossible to think that this would occur in today's day and age, and Sarah Polley does an excellent job at crafting a cinematic experience that makes you think like this took place decades ago with the use of tainted hues that makes it feel like a bygone era, until a census taker arrives at the community announcing the 2010 census, and realize that it's happening in the here and now - which only makes it more jarring. These women have been forced to forgive their attackers time and again because their Mennonite community forces them to, under penalty of eternal damnation in hell if they choose to rebel. On one hand it's a film highlighting the strength and courage of women, and on the other it's a cautionary tale about the abuses of religion and, most importantly, those who use religion for their own nefarious purposes - which, as we all know, doesn't happen at all nowadays (#sarcasm).
The women are varied in their thoughts which adds a dramatic element to the film, which reminds viewers of another film like this, "12 Angry Men," about a group of jurors stuck in a room who must decide another's fate. Here, it's women in a barn deciding the fate of themselves and their children, and the stakes couldn't be more higher. They debate the three major choices, highlighting the pros and cons of each. If they stay and do nothing, they'll be safe from God's eternal damnation, but they'll allow their attackers to keep doing what they've been doing. If they stay and fight they threaten to turn the community into a warzone, but while they'll be casualties, they might be able to be free from their attackers. If they leave, they threaten their eternal security and face an unknown reality, but they'll be far away from their attackers and won't have to worry about their daughters getting abused any longer. It's not an easy decision, and the performances showcase the severity of each of these decisions.
Rooney Mara's Ona is the quiet, even-tempered woman who still believes in love, and who wants to do right by everyone. Claire Foy's Salome has murderous intentions in her heart and will stop at nothing to protect her daughter. Jessie Buckley's Mariche has endured continual beatings by her husband, and wants to fight. Frances McDormand's Scarface is the only one who wants to stay and do nothing out of fear of spending eternity in hell, and matriarchs Judith Ivey's Agata and Sheila McCarthy's Greta showcase their wealth of knowledge, but also their shame for staying and having their own daughters and granddaughters enduring the horrors they've gone through as well. The periphery women also give commanding performances, as does Ben Whishaw's August, the sole male in the group, who has a crush on Ona and who sincerely wants the women to be safe.
While not a lot happens visually, there's so much happening through the voices of the women that it supplants a vision in your mind about the nightmare they've been going through, as well as the struggle they face in the decision they make. It's not an easy one to be made lightly, as it has ramifications on their future as well as their children's, but they ultimately decide they can't stay and do nothing, so it comes down to fighting, or leaving - and getting to that decision is paved with painstaking dialogue that's impactful with some comedic moments in between that allows the viewers to take a seat at the table themselves, forcing us to ask the same question: what would we do in the same situation? The answer, as the movie itself, is not as black and white as you might think.
The Score: A+
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