Tuesday, August 10, 2021
CODA
Seventeen-year-old shy Ruby (brilliantly played by Emilia Jones) struggles between family responsibilities & discovering her new latent passion, singing. Up before dawn to work for the family’s struggling fishing business before school starts. At school, she joins the choir club led by a demanding music teacher (Eugenio Derbez, finally in a non-comedic role). This is an eye opening film because CODA stands for child of deaf adults. Rudy is the only hearing person in her family. Deaf actors Troy Kotsur & Marlee Marlin star as Ruby’s parents. This is a funny, moving, & touching film about family & growing up as we see the emotional frustrations & complexities of living with deafness. You’ll laugh & cry at this coming-of-age story. As the story unfolds, it’s not hard to see where it’s heading, but you’ll enjoy the journey & hopefully understand more about people dealing with hearing disabilities. Plus the film has a wonderful soundtrack. This is an uplifting feel good film, kind of a teenage version of “Flashdance” that ironically revolves around a song/deafness theme. It is a definite must see.
Alien gives it 3½ “stepping up to be heard” stars out of 4.
