Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones) is the only member of her family who can hear. Her older brother, Leo (Daniel Durant), and both of her parents, Frank (Troy Kotsur) and Jackie (Marlee Matlin), are all deaf.
Ruby spends most of her time helping out at the family fishing business. She has no plans to attend college because of her numerous and heavy responsibilities as the child of deaf adults. Her ambition is to work there full-time after graduating from high school.
But unbeknownst to anyone, Ruby has a passion for singing. Her enthusiasm for it grew even stronger after she joined the school choir. Her beautiful singing voice captured the attention of Bernardo "Mr. V" Villalobos (Eugenio Derbez), a passionate instructor. He wanted to prepare her for a college scholarship along with her schoolmate and crush, Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo).
But despite the encouragement she receives from Mr. V and Miles, she is unable to forego all of her responsibilities to her family. Now that they intend to start a new fishing business, they need her more than ever to be their translator. Furthermore, music is something they do not fully understand. They will never agree with her plans to let go of all of her obligations and move on.
"CODA" (an acronym for Child of Deaf Adults) had its world premiere as one of the opening-day films at the 2021 (virtual) Sundance Film Festival back in January 2021. The film immediately garnered rave reviews, with some calling it a crowd-pleasing tearjerker. But it’s more than just the same family movie that gives you that cozy feeling. The film stands out for its inclusivity, message, and story.
Headlining the film besides Emilia Jones are Troy Kotsur (winner of the Best Supporting Actor at the 94th Oscars), Daniel Durant, and Marlee Matlin, all deaf actors. This casting is groundbreaking in that it proves people with hearing disabilities can actually carry a film. "Quiet Place" took that first step by getting Millicent Simmonds in the lead role, but "CODA" takes it a step further with its prevalent use of sign language and highlighting the real-life struggles faced by the community. It also opens the door for directors, actors, and producers belonging to the deaf community to find work in the industry. Although there’s a long way to go, the film's latest achievements at the Oscars prove that we are heading towards proper inclusivity and representation in films.
As for the story, "CODA" offers nothing really new. There’s no doubt that you've seen films like this before. It’s a coming-of-age story with a sprinkle of drama, romance, and comedy. The story revolves around a CODA dreaming of entering music school and finding her voice in a family that heavily relies on her. The protagonist is a bullied and shy girl who runs away at the first sign of trouble, until a kind professor guides her to hone her vocal talent and stand on her ground. On the side, she develops romantic feelings with her classmate. But the problem is that all of these are obstructed by her obligations to her family and their dreams of opening a new fishing business. They need a lot of help due to their disability, and she’s their only protector. And as the old adage goes, family comes first.
This puts the story of "CODA" in a compelling situation, as all the choices it presents seem correct. Ruby is someone lost in the sea of responsibilities put upon by her family. She’s drowning with all the crushing weight of it. For once, it seems right for her to let go and move on. But despite all the fighting, commotion, and miscommunication, it was her family that rescued her in the end. It was their love for her that ultimately makes her dreams come true. Their sacrifice for her is also a means of saying that not all surrender is crushing and painful, it's sometimes fulfilling and heartening. We can always let go of our loved ones, but there's always no hurry to move on.
"CODA" subtly emphasizes it's namesake and the musical term "coda," which refers to the end section of a musical piece. Basically, coda means "closure," and it’s a way to wrap up all of the musical melodies and themes that have been played. Like this film, it ends with a heartfelt scene that encapsulates the struggles that Ruby and her family endured, and the love they shared and withheld all throughout this journey.
It is understandable that "CODA" is not everyone’s favorite bet in the Academy’s Best Picture race. It’s not as ambitious as "Dune" or as star-studded as "The Power of the Dog" or "Don’t Look Up", but unlike most of the films in contention, Heder’s film wears its heart on its sleeves.
"CODA" is not afraid to show its intimate and honest emotions to its viewers. This openness is endearing as much as it is admirable. The performances are terrific, and there is definitely a resounding warmth that can be felt every time the characters get together. It might lack dialogue, but the film’s silence compels us to look and engulf the sensation of loving and living.
5/5
