THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED
Is it possible to live our dreams and make our families happy? Why yes, but it’s never easy.
PLOT
Based on 2014’s The Bélier Family or La Famille Bélier, CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) follows a deaf family that live in Gloucester, Massachusetts: the patriarch Frank Rossi, his wife Jackie, their oldest son Leo and the teenage daughter Ruby. Ruby is the only one who is capable of speaking, resulting in her speaking on their behalf all the time. The family runs a family fishing business and when Ruby finishes high school, she plans to fish full time. Due to her family being the only deaf people in town, she feels like an outcast in public. She chooses to impulsively join choir when her crush Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) signs up. She does panic at first when being requested to sing 'Happy Birthday to You', but her teacher Bernardo Villalobos, or Mr V, gives her a second chance, becoming blown away in the process after hearing her sing beautifully. He pairs her with Miles for a choir recital, but their first rehearsal goes terrible due to how they chose to prepare separately. So he insists them to practice together. Ruby invites Miles to her home for practice, but it gets awkward when they hear her parents have sex in the next room over. She avoids talking to him for a while when he made the mistake to tell one of his friends of the incident, who tells it to others that would later mock her for it. She later chooses to forgive him when taking him to her favorite lake, resulting in them to develop an intimate relationship. Meanwhile, Frank & Leo are struggling to make ends meet in their business due to new fees and sanctions being imposed by the local board. This inspires the two to announce their own company with fair restrictions that'll help them sell fish on their own, inviting other fishermen to join them. It is only difficult for their company to get off the ground as they constantly rely on Ruby to spread the word. Their dependence on her makes it difficult for her to satisfy Mr V, who chastises her being late for private lessons that'll prepare her for an audition for Berklee College of Music. Ruby's only defense is that it is difficult for her to separate herself from her family. The first time she doesn't go to work, Frank & Leo get intercepted by the Coast Guard for failing to respond to ship horns and radio calls. They do get fined and lose their fishing licenses, but they appeal to get it back on the condition that a hearing person is on board. Knowing that they can't afford a professional interpreter, Ruby declares to join the business full time, rather than going to college like she wanted. While her parents support the decision, this upsets Leo because he believes they can manage without her. The family attends the choir recital and although they can't hear her sing, they notice the positive reception she receives from the audience. When returning home at night, Franks asks Ruby to sing for him while he feels her vocal cords, growing emotional as he feels how strong her voice is. The next day, the family surprise her by taking her to the Berklee audition. They sneak in to the balcony to watch her perform, which gives her confidence throughout. Some time after this, she is accepted by Berklee in the process. When sharing this to Mr V and her family, all excite for her success. Because Miles choked his audition, he promises to visit sometime. As the summer goes by, the hearing workers in the family's fishing business begin learning ASL (American Sign Language), which'll help them communicate with and interpret for the Rossis. The film ends with Ruby signing 'I really love you' to her family as her friend Gertie (Amy Forsyth) drives her to Boston for college.
THOUGHTS
I was hesitant to check this out because I doubted that Apple TV+ could keep up on providing great content. I chose to give it a chance after enjoying Palmer months before seeing this. Now that I have, I surprise myself when I say I love this film so much. I grew so attached to this one because Writer/Director Sian Heder provides a movie with one of the biggest hearts we'd get this year. It overall becomes relatable to witness because it shows off the battle of dreams and responsibility so effective yet honest. We all want to accomplish our dreams, but we don't want to abandon our family to get there. It is okay to break from the mold, as long as you don't forget where you came from. I would've not gotten this without the chemistry of a family that love and enjoy one another, thanks to an authentic cast. Emilia Jones is spectacular as our lead Ruby who can't stand being held back from what she wants to do and is afraid of what she can do once she has the chance to take advantage of her opportunities. She is dependent on them the way they are on her, until realizing that only she can push herself to make her dream come true. Her family is difficult like any other family, yet despite that, she still loved them for. I love the audition scene because when she does sign during the audition, her confidence is all in, feeling prepared for the future she will make herself. She gives Miles a chance because she admired how he actually tries seeing her as an equal, aside from Gertie and unlike everyone else in school. He pursues her because she is his polar opposite, she has a happy family unlike him and cherishes that. Marlee Matlin & (Oscar winner) Troy Kutsur were the most adorable couple I've ever seen in the respected roles of Jackie and Frank. They are an inseparable couple that love each other deeply, and compassionate parents who truly do their best in looking out for their children. Due to their predicament, it is hard for them to support Ruby's dreams because they are unaware if she is as good as she says and knows she is. The more she spoke up, the more they tried to support however they can, which makes you respect them. Seeing them attend the recital is tragic because they were unsure how to approach it until noticing the reaction(s) from others. It is true that they have used her as a free interpreter, but they never intend to treat it that way because it is not easy for them to speak up for themselves either. However, it is still the recital where they finally understand how much her dreams mean to her. And it was important for them to see her audition because they know she would never have gained maturity so early on in her life if it wasn't for them. And once Frank spoke 'Go' for the first time, it was the final nail in the coffin to reveal that they're ready to live without her. I also love Daniel Durant because he portrays Leo as one who knows he doesn't need anyone to take care of him and has his own independence. It's not easy for him to try, but he tries the hardest in comparison to his parents. Gertie pursues him because she sees his heart and he gives it a chance because he is flattered that he is taken notice for who he is inside. I think he is the definitive unsung hero of this story because he is the only one in the family to support Ruby, who wants her to take the opportunities he'll never receive. He refuses to be a burden, nor does he want her to be unhappy. Seeing him motivate her like he does is just as soothing as everything else we see. Last but not least, I love Eugenio Derbez so much as Mr V. This is a guy that missed his opportunity to live his dream and now, he refuses to let others mess up like he did, which is why he pushes Ruby the most. Leo gave the last push, but Mr V gave the first one. He overall reminds viewers that talent should not ever be wasted, whatever the predicament. You have to make the effort until you are incapable of going further. I loved how he played the piano for Ruby's audition because there is no way he would not until the end. I will love this movie forever and ever, but I can admit that it had a slew of issues. Sadly, they all evolve around Ruby. Like how has she never talked to her family about singing? She buys records and talks about it, it's hard to believe it never came up. And it kinda is her fault that her dad lost the license. Had she gave him a heads up she'd miss work, they likely would've found an interpreter. Which makes me ask how come they haven't found one for so long. If Ruby is tired of being the voice of her family, I'm sure she would've found one sooner. Other than that, this movie is still awesome for what it is. In conclusion, CODA is a worthy Best Picture winner for showing families how to listen in one way or another, being heartwarming throughout. If you have Apple TV+ and crave heartwarming drama comedies, see this now.
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