*Premise spoilers.*
And with this film, I’m on nine out of ten Best Picture nominees. I won’t get more than that, since I have no plans to see Avatar: The Way of Water, but I’m really glad this one finally became available digitally (although only to buy—no rentals yet.) It’s a quiet but hard-hitting film, dealing with a devastating subject matter.
In an isolated religious colony, all the men have temporarily gone into the city, intending to bail out those who were arrested after repeatedly drugging the women and attacking them in their sleep. On their own at the colony, the women vote on what to do. When they’re divided between “stay and fight” or “leave,” they appoint the women from three respected families to discuss the matter and come to a decision.
First of all, much appreciation for director/screenwriter Sarah Polley, who also earned the film a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination. The movie doesn’t depict any of the rapes as they’re happening. Instead, it only shows flashes of the horror in the aftermath: blood on their nightgowns when they wake, laboring to give birth to a rapist’s baby, the ferocious screams of the two girls who finally catch one of the attackers. These flashes are fully horrific enough without putting the most traumatic scenes onscreen.
Instead, most of the film is centered purely around the women’s debate over their next actions. It feels a lot like a play, with its fairly self-contained setting, heavy emphasis on dialogue, and chances for all the major players to get at least one moment to shine. Even though there’s very little action and many of the characters never even raise their voices, it’s still engrossing to watch.
The film does a great job showing how these women have been abused, controlled, and gaslit. For a long time, they were told that the attacks weren’t real, and once the attackers were arrested, they were told the men had to be forgiven if they wanted to enter the kingdom of Heaven. They’ve been denied a voice and literacy, and they haven’t been given the necessarily words to describe their own bodies and what’s been done to them.
In light of all that, it’s understandable that some of them don’t want to fight or leave. They think staying and forgiving is the only option they have. But others speak passionately and eloquently about fighting or leaving, giving reasoned arguments and sharing their personal grief. Despite how they’ve been exploited in the name of religion, they share scripture passages they’ve memorized and, by slow and painful degrees, come to a conclusion.
All of actresses do a splendid job with the complex material. At the center of the proceedings are Rooney Mara as the quietly steady Ona, Claire Foy as the hurt and angry Salome, and Jessie Buckley as the strong but despairing Mariche. I also want to shout out Judith Ivey as one of the elders in the group and Kate Hallett as the young narrator of the film. Ben Whishaw is also excellent as August, the one man who stays behind at the colony to take notes during the women’s meeting. Frances McDormand appears in the film as well, but her role is little more than a cameo.
Warnings
Strong thematic elements, references to violence (including rape and suicide,) disturbing images, smoking/references to drinking, and brief language.
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