CODA movie review 2021

MOVIE TITLE: CODA

This lovely coming-of-age film premieres exclusively on Apple TV+ on August 13, 2021

RATING: PG-13

LENGTH: 1 hour 52 minutes

IN A NUTSHELL:

As a CODA (child of deaf adults), Ruby is the only hearing person in her home. When she discovers a passion for singing, Ruby must choose between family fishing business obligations and her dreams to pursue music. After the film won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award winner at the Sundance Film Festival, Apple bought the distribution rights to it for $25 million, the largest sum at the time.

CODA stands for “Child of Deaf Adults”. The film is written and directed by Sian Heder. It has nothing to do with the 2020 movie also called Coda. This is an English-language remake of the 2014 French-language film called The Belier Family / La Famille Bélier – English Subtitles. It was filmed in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

THINGS I LIKED:

Emilia Jones is a revelation. She acts, signs, and sings beautifully.
Eugenio Derbez plays the passionate choir director. He’s hilarious in everything he does, but he also shows a dramatic flair in his role since the film is more serious than a true comedy.
I remember when Marlee Matlin first took Hollywood by storm when she won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Children of a Lesser God, the only deaf actress to win the award. She has been deaf since she was a little girl.
Actors Troy Kotsur and Daniel Durant are both deaf in real life.
It’s really powerful when you can’t hear any sound and you get to experience what it might be like to be deaf. One of my nieces married a deaf man. Many members of my extended family, including myself, have been trying to learn sign language.
There are some truly touching moments that made my eyes fill with tears several times. Very sweet.
I like the title because it instantly intrigues you and you want to know what it’s all about.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

The story is sweet and touching and yet there is a lot of crude content that makes it inappropriate for family viewing, which is such a shame because there are some really great messages in the movie.
It’s pretty predictable.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Profanity – both spoken verbally and in sign language
Teenage girls talk about hooking up with guys.
Adults talk about jock itch
You see a married couple doing it in bed (with clothes on)
The dad smokes marijuana.
Men drink alcohol in a bar and get in a brawl.
An underage teenager works as a bartender and explains that she can because none of the men there know how to count to 21.
A lot of crude conversations and gestures.
There’s a lot of sign language spoken, obviously, so you have to read a lot of subtitles.

THEMES:

Family responsibilities
Pursuing your passion
Communication
Sacrifice for others
The power of music
Courage to face our fears
Trying new things
Community

FUNNY LINES:

“You know why God made farts smell? So deaf people could enjoy them too.” – Frank Rossi (Troy Kotsur)
“Blow my tiny mind.” – Bernardo Villalobos (Eugenio Derbez)
“Duet…it’s in the word…do-it together!” – Bernardo Villalobos (Eugenio Derbez)

INTERESTING LINES:

“There are plenty of pretty voices with nothing to say.” – Bernardo Villalobos (Eugenio Derbez)
“Our family sticks together.” – Frank Rossi (Troy Kotsur)