Movie Reaction: Women Talking

Formula: 12 Angry Men - 11 Men

I've spent a lot of time over the years trying to figure out what my deal is with play adaptations for the screen. I adore some and find others tedious. It's been hard to put my finger on why. Lately though, there have been some films coming out that look like play adaptations that are not based on plays. Films like The Outfit and Women Talking. Those helped put into focus the differences, and I have a theory now. I love a movie that constricts its characters. I like to phrase it as "trap a bunch of personalities in a room together and see how they bounce off each other". It's the reason I love Free Fire so much too. Where a movie like this loses me is when the tenor of the performances and style of the filmmaking still feels like it's appealing to a stage audience. That's why I have trouble with August Wilson adaptations. As great as the acting is, it still feels like stage acting. Whereas, it doesn't feel like the Women who are Talking are playing to an imaginary audience. And the filmmaking is concerned with catching moments that a play never would. In summary, I like when a confined story is told as a film. I don't care for when a play is simply put on film.

This is all a roundabout way of saying that I really enjoyed Women Talking. It's exactly a kind of movie I love. It tells the story of a Mennonite (or something similar) community that must make a big decision. For years, the men of the community have been drugging and raping the women then convincing them they imagined it. Several of the rapists are caught and sent to prison. The remaining men leave for the city to bail them out and return them to the community. While they are away, the women form a council to decide what they will do. The three options are: forgive the men, stay and fight for change, or collectively leave the community entirely.

So that's the movie: a debate.

And I loved it.

It helps that the cast is absolutely stacked. It feels like Sarah Polley just had a running list of every actress who had popped in the last few years and threw them into this. Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, and Jessie Buckley are the big three. Frances McDormand is the biggest name but by far the smallest role. And there are many actresses who I either haven't seen in a while (Judith Ivey) or hadn't seen before (Kate Hallett, Live McNeil, and especially Michelle McLeod) who get a lot to do. The only male actor of note is Ben Whishaw as a lone ally and minute-taker for the meeting. I won't bother breaking down who all is on what side of which argument. I think it's fair to say you can guess the positions of most characters based on the actress. Except McDormand. That was a surprise.

What's refreshing about this is how much it doesn't rely on theatrics. This feels like a complex discussion and not a series of monologues. And they don't present the decision as a toss-up. It's clear early on the direction they need to go. The debate is more about assuaging the concerns of the detractors. I like the different levels of investment too. In the middle of all this discussion, Hallett and McNeil's characters spend most of the time drawing and playing: anything to stave off boredom. Sarah Polley pictures this perfectly for the cinematic experience. The movie never feels as dry as the description could make it sound. There's a lot of focus on the smaller moments and background details that a play couldn't do. And the films shakes us out of the confines of the barn just enough to keep things from getting stale.

Verdict: Strongly Recommend