CODA Movie Review: There have been some exceptionally great coming-of-age films over the years. There is just something about watching films where teenagers are trying to figure out their lives and finding themselves in the process. Growing as a person, that’s the central theme behind these stories and what gets them going. CODA executes those themes perfectly as it navigates itself through a really personal story. CODA Wins Best Picture at Oscars 2022; Here’s the Winning Moment Captured of the Cast and Crew at 94th Academy Awards (Watch Video).

CODA follows Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones) as the only hearing member of a deaf family. The film follows her trying to maintain her personal life as she balances between her family struggles and trying to embrace and achieve her own passion of singing. CODA translates to child of deaf adults and is basically what the film is named after.

Jones plays Ruby Rossi wonderfully as she showcases her struggles. On one hand you have your family struggling with their business, and on the other you’re trying to practice singing so you can make it to the big leagues. This is the central conflict of CODA, and Jones really sells that struggle. Oftentimes you will find yourself burdened with responsibility, and Jones’ performance gives a pitch perfect picture of that. She is burdened with this, and while watching her you feel that burden too, and that’s one of the best parts about CODA. Oscars 2022: Troy Kotsur Wins Best Actor in a Supporting Role for CODA at 94th Academy Awards.

Plot points like these can often feel like a hurdle in films, and rather become an inconvenience for the viewers in the most annoying way. So it was great to see that director/writer Sian Heder navigated through these points so well. CODA never ends up feeling annoying, as a matter of fact on every turn you want Ruby to succeed.

Check Out The Trailer:

Not only Ruby, but the entire Rossi family are some of the most colourful characters that you will ever come across. Daniel Durant and Marlee Matlin play the role of Leo and Jackie Rossi, Ruby’s brother and mother. Her relationship with Ruby is amazingly explored of course, but the show is stolen by Troy Kotsur’s turn as Frank Rossi, Ruby’s father.

Kotsur gives it his all over here and delivers a performance that will leave you in a flood of tears. Kotsur speaks so much with his eyes and expressions that it will suck you into his performance. The final scene with him and Ruby is one of the most powerful and heartwarming scenes you will ever see. It surely had me engulfed in tears as I saw these characters grow across the movie and learn to accept their realities. Oscars 2022: Troy Kotsur Gives an Emotional Award Acceptance Speech in Sign Language; CODA Star Dedicates Oscar to Deaf Community (Watch Video).

CODA also does wonders for how it portrays deaf people. Never while watching it I felt that these characters were being portrayed differently, rather they just felt like normal people living normal lives. That was so refreshing to see where someone’s disability wasn’t exploited in an effort to tell a story.

Aside from the Rossi family, Eugenio Derbez also packs in a wonderful performance as Bernardo Villalobos, Ruby’s high school choir director. He has that strict personality to him of course, but beneath that layer there is softness, and Derbez makes the most of that.

CODA is effortlessly hilarious as well. Having some scenes that left me in stitches, it really embraces the tone that they want to portray with the Rossi family and run with it. It does wonders for the development of these characters.

If I did have a criticism for CODA, it would be that I didn’t care much for Ferdia Walsh-Peelo as Miles. Surely he is good in the role, but there is just not enough time spent with him. He eventually turns into Ruby’s love interest, but that relationship doesn’t get explored much, and rather the story with him ended up falling flat for me.

Yay!

Emilia Jones and Troy Kotsur

Deaf People Representation

Nay

Ferdia Walsh-Peelo as Miles

Final Thoughts

CODA is a brilliant look at a child with the weight of the world on her shoulders trying to manage her personal life. The film spoke to me in so many ways where I could relate to Ruby’s story. It’s a film that felt cathartic to watch, and very well earns the Oscar that it got. You can stream CODA on Apple TV Plus.

Rating:4.0

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 28, 2022 01:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).