CODA

US, 2021, 111 minutes, Colour.

Emilia Jones, Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur, Daniel Durant, Eugenio Derbez.

Directed by Sian Heder.

Oscar-winner for Best Picture, 2021. And, interestingly, a winner from a streaming service, Apple, rather than from cinema distribution.

CODA is an arresting title and needs explanation. It stands for children of deaf adults. Which means that the film takes us into the daily life and struggles of a deaf family, father, mother and son profoundly deaf, the daughter, by contrast, able to hear and speak. And, as the narrative progresses, more than able to sing.

The producer of this film also produced a French film, The Belier Family (2014), the story of a family on a farm, coping with farming life, but the daughter able to hear and speak, also able to sing. While the film is a remake, the main French storylines are incorporated into CODA, the location now the fishing town of Gloucester, Massachusetts. Sian Heder, director of the film, also adapted the screenplay which also won an Oscar.

The hearing audience is invited into the family, to experience the hard-working fishing and processing, the struggle to make ends meet, the building up of the family business, the son in his father’s footsteps, the daughter having to go early, share the work and then go to school. There are subtitles – but, it is worth avoiding the subtitles at times just to appreciate the signed communication, the experience of the signing world.

British actress Emilia Jones is believable as Ruby (and, it seems, spent six months learning American sign language for the film). She has friends at school and suffers slights from those not sympathetic to her family. She joins the choir, initially timid, but encouraged by the exceedingly eccentric choirmaster, played by Eugenio Derbez. He sees and hears her talent and encourages her with private lessons, to build up her capacity for an audition and a singing scholarship.

Needless to say, there are many struggles within the family, regulations for the fishing industry, a supervisor arriving unaware, initially, that the men were deaf, not hearing the Coast Guard boat approaching to warn them off. There are court cases. However, there is also solidarity and the community gathering together to bypass the fishing agents and set up a co-op.

Ruby, of course, is torn between her love for her family and her sense of obligation to help them and the requirements of the demanding singing instructor. But, more and more, Ruby learns to stand her ground.

Every audience will be impressed by the deaf actors, Daniel Durant as the son, Oscar-winning Marlee Matlin for her 1986 performance in Children of a Lesser God here playing the wife. Most impressive perhaps is Troy Kotsur as the father, an interesting and challenging screen presence, and, deservedly, winning the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. (And the response at the Oscars ceremony and his signed speech, his tribute to family, memories of his career, the first male deaf actor to win an Oscar, were well worth seeing.)

In many ways, the plot outline is quite familiar, not entirely unexpected. However, being invited into the world of the deaf, of communication by signing is an important experience for hearing audiences. And this is reinforced in the sequence where Ruby performs, her family going int the auditorium, seeing rather than hearing, a sense of rhythm and vibration, the film’s soundtrack going silent.

1. The title, children of deaf adults? The focus on ruby and her experience?
2. The Gloucester setting, the sea, fishing, the waterside, docks, the fishing industry, fish sales? Sequences at sea, homes, school, the choir and practice, Bernardo’s home, the playful swimming sequences with Miles?
3. The musical score, the range of songs, the choir practice, training, the performance of the songs, Joni Mitchell and her themes?
4. The introduction to the family, deaf, on the boat, communication with father and son, with Ruby, but also singing? At home, the relationship between Jackie and Frank, communication, love? The brother, his place?
5. The fishing situation, the managers, the sales of the fish, low prices, the eventual community meeting, Frank and his vigorous intervention, the decision to go alone, everybody joining, the Co-op? The fish, fishing, sorting, sales, the stand, the women, Jackie among them? The premises, the trucks, some prosperity? The need for a supervisor, the woman coming aboard, not knowing Frank and his son were deaf, the Coast Guard, coming aboard, the charges, in court, the fines? But, ultimately some progress?
6. Ruby as a character, her age, working on the boat, hard work, the early hours, at school, sleeping? Her being bullied? Mocked? The attraction to Miles? The time with her girlfriend, at home, the decision to go for the choir? The initial audition, her running away? Eventually returning, singing, Bernardo and the group, the breathing, the singing, her pairing with Miles? The attraction to him, yet distant? His visit to her home, singing together, the loud sounds of her parents, laughing, going to school, everybody chatting, Miles having told only one person, his wanting to apologise, her anger?
7. The characters her parents? Long marriage, fishing, and life, the children? Coping with being deaf?
8. The brother, going to the bar, the taunts in the accident, the fight? Ruby’s friend at the bar, the sexual attraction?
9. Bernardo, from Mexico, musician, the choir, teacher, his demands, the range of songs, the training, breathing exercises, rehearsals, anger with Ruby, her lateness, her having to confront him, his relenting? The final performance, the acclaim? Ruby going for the scholarship, his coming to accompany her, his joy at her success?
10. Ruby and Miles, his wanting to apologise, singing together, back to back? Going out, the water, jumping into the water, the swimming, the high cliff, the log? Bonding? The kiss?
11. The happy ending, the fishing situation, Ruby and the Farewell to her parents, going to college?
12. The focus on the deaf characters, the communication, body language, American sign language as an extension of body language, the audience sharing the deaf experience, especially during the concert at all going silent? Sharing the experience of the parents, watching, vibrations, her father touching Ruby’s throat and experiencing the song? Applause?
13. A portrait of deaf people? The film enabling hearing people to appreciate their lives, the limitations? The many nominations and awards for the film?