It would be unfair, but accurate, to call CODA formulaic. Accurate because it indeed follows a very recognizable template, scene to scene, beat by beat. Unfair because “formulaic” strongly implies that it is unsatisfying and mediocre, which CODA certainly is not. This is an unabashedly feel-good, crowd-pleasing movie that works in spite of, and even because of, its familiarity. It is a coming-of-age story, a family drama, family comedy, and a relatable story, regardless of the specific circumstances of this family.
Emilia Jones stars as Ruby, a high school senior and the only hearing member of a deaf family (a Child Of Deaf Adults, or CODA), which, as you might imagine, adds an extra layer of anxiety and stress to what would already be a stressful and anxious time for any teenager. At times she feels like an outsider in her own family. When her mother, Jackie (Marlee Matlin), learns that Ruby joined the school choir, her response is along the lines of: if I were blind you would want to be a painter. But Ruby really does love to sing and is good at it, once she gets over her initial shyness at choir rehearsal. Her father, Frank (Troy Kotsur), and brother, Leo (Daniel Durant), are fishermen who make the risky decision to start their own fishing co-op. Ruby works with them on the boat, acts as their translator, and makes sure they don’t get cheated by the vendors.
The performances are what makes CODA so effective. Ruby is a kind of teenager we’ve seen before: bullied but not without friends, has a crush on the boy she’s assigned a duet with, wants to strike out on her own but feels responsible for her family. However, Emilia Jones really brings Ruby to life, turning her from a character into someone you recognize or find relatable. The Oscar winning screenplay by Sian Heder, who also directs, based on the French film La Famille Belier, gives each character a moment to shine. Leo wants his chance to prove that he can be the responsible one that looks out for the family. Jackie’s at times rocky relationship with her daughter feels like a genuine mother-daughter dynamic. The scene towards the end where she and Ruby finally connect is heartfelt thanks to Matlin and Jones. By a wide margin, the standout of the cast is Troy Kotsur. He plays Frank as a sometimes embarrassing parent, but always well meaning, loving, and optimistic. He even supports Ruby’s decision to join choir and apply to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in far away Boston. The most moving scene in the movie is a moment between him and Ruby after her college audition. Kotsur received much praise and acclaim and his win for Best Supporting Actor is very well deserved. Maybe the movie would work without him, but it is undeniably better with him.
The songs Ruby sings to express herself are a bit on the nose. There’s the obligatory scene where her responsibility for her family interferes with her choir commitments and the scene where choosing for herself leads to repercussions for her family. There’s the scene where she gets to know the boy she has a crush on and they jump into a lake together. There is not one but two big climaxes of Ruby performing on stage. Nevertheless, the groundwork is so expertly laid that when these scenes do come, they are dramatically satisfying.
That the deaf characters do not feel like a gimmick or novelty is a credit to the approach taken by writer-director Sian Heder. This feels like so many other family stories because it is a movie about a family, not deafness. CODA tells a unique story in a familiar way, stirring emotions with great performances that make plot contrivances easy to overlook.
Nominees: Philippe Rousselet, Fabrice Gianfermi, Patrick Wachsberger, producers
Director: Sian Heder
Screenplay: Sian Heder; based on La Famille Belier by Victoria Bedos & Stanislas Carré de Malberg & Éric Lartigau & Thomas Bidegain
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