Sarah Polley’s “Women Talking”

Women Talking (2022)

Thoughtful dialogue-led drama based on Miriam Toews’ epynonymous novel based on events that occurred in Bolivia is an intriguing parable on forgiveness, perspective and misogyny

With a stellar cast including Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Ben Whishaw, and Frances McDormand, this plays out, as with The Whale, like a stage production but this feels more cinematic thanks to cinematographer Luc Montpellier. It also feels less contrived though does very much feel like a parable.

The story is of a remote Mennonite community where it has been discovered that the men have been using livestock tranquiliser to subdue and rape the women after one of the men is caught. After several men are arrested, the remaining men of the colony travel to the nearby city to post bail for the accused giving the women 48 hours along with the ultimatum of forgiving their attackers or facing excommunication. Gathering in a barn, the women proceed to consider their options: stay and do nothing, stay and fight, or leave. As a sidenote, this is all the trailer should have delivered along with the impressive cast. Unfortunately, it shares too much and puts across a tone that’s contrary to the actual film.

A solid, thoughtful and often intriguing story deftly told by Sarah Polley.