Written by Andreas Babiolakis

Warning: the following review deals with triggering subject matters involving sexual abuse and trauma. Reader discretion is advised.

I’ve waited years for Canadian icon Sarah Polley to release another film (if Away From Her isn’t the greatest Canadian film of all time, it’s quite close to being so), and so I have been eagerly anticipating Women Talking since it was first announced. Now that it’s here, it reminds me so much of the oft remade film 12 Angry Men but for the modern age and with a predominantly female voice. I know it’s based on a novel (Women Talking by nationally acclaimed writer Miriam Toews), but it still feels quite intentional that the title feels like an antithesis to the aforementioned courtroom drama. This isn’t about bickering males trying to get a word in edgewise as they declare the fate of a potentially innocent fellow. These are females discussing amongst themselves underneath the scrutiny of the male gaze. Sure, the women in this film occasionally do fight, but it’s because they are trying to figure out their own fates. There’s certainly a higher risk factor here. There likely isn’t much intended in the way of parallelism between Women Talking and 12 Angry Men (outside of, say, the theme of people holding heated conversations in enclosed spaces for the majority of their respective films’ runtimes), but I find it nearly impossible to not find similarities, especially since Polley and Toews are making contemporary points about how issues are handled.

Women Talking frightfully takes place in 2010, and you’ll know what I mean once you get around to the film. I could swear this is a period piece film, but nope. Here’s a sheltered Mennonite community that are so far removed from the world that no one can hear their proclamations: one of the many fantastic allegories of the female experience within a misogynistic society. The females here — mothers, grandmothers, and even children — are convinced that the bruises, blood, and miscarriages they experience are because they are sinful and are being punished by Satan or ghosts. In reality, they are being drugged via animal tranquilizers and are subsequently abused by the men of their colony on a frequent basis. After such an instance is finally proven, it’s time for the women here to decide what to do next. They have been given zero tools, education, or ability to have any sort of power in this community; they’ve even been forbidden the lessons necessary to learn how to read and write. It’s time to put a stop to this systemic imbalance. What are they to do? The colony’s women band together and settle on three options: do nothing, stay and fight for their rights, or flee the community and start a new life elsewhere.

There is a strong consensus between fighting and fleeing, and that’s where the remainder of Women Talking rests: deciding on which change is the best change. It seems obvious at first, with the visceral anger of the community pushing towards a cathartic battle, until it appears to be more logical to start new lives. Shortly afterward, staying and fighting begins to feel more wise. This back-and-forth between the fate of these women is the entire narrative of the film, with the arguments made in favour of and against these choices serving as the backstories of the main characters and the backdrop of their lives. You have pregnant Ona who is a bit of a pacifist that wants to find hope and love in everyone, even the worst of people. Salome is far more abrasive with an instant thirst for revenge: she carries the weight of the community’s scorn upon her shoulders. Mariche is somewhere in the middle: seemingly defeated as she sits off to the side, but additionally quite angry to the point of yelling at her peers whenever she feels as though their two cents are worthless. There are more people of varying generations that have different points of view, but the last one I’ll point out is Melvin: a transgender male who has taken a vow of silence and has already started his own new life after his own instance of abuse.

And then there’s August: the only cisgender male that is a part of this conversation, although he is tasked with keeping minutes (as the only people that can read and write are the men that are given the proper education). He is a great outlier, especially considering that he allows the women to speak for the majority of the picture and isn’t a guy that is trying to prove that his gender is misunderstood. He acknowledges that there is a lot of work to do regarding how boys are raised, and I couldn’t agree more: not all feminists are women, and August is a fantastic representation of what a feminist male looks like (particularly in an environment where he still has a lot to learn, and he is willing to put in the work). August keeps track of all of the pros and cons of either decision. The women meet at a certain time in a barn as to avoid other men from discovering their discussions, and so each meeting is brief and full of conflict. There isn’t much time to make a proper choice, and yet they have to try to make one as quickly as possible to finally end their years of abuse.

Polley’s handling of the challenging subject matter is effective yet considerate. The “r word” is only used twice and exactly when Polley felt it was necessary. Not once do you see the worst of the assaults, as Polley crafted a film about abuse that those that have experienced it can watch with the minimal amount of triggering possible. It is an empowering film that recognizes the array of viewers that will watch it, and its delicate approach to an ongoing crisis still takes these concerns seriously (without harming audiences whilst holding a discussion). When it comes to the acknowledgement of the female experience, Women Talking is a realist take that acknowledges that change can take place, but it will take a while and there is still so much ground to cover. Again, the film takes place in 2010, and it makes me sick that the original novel was based on real circumstances. These attacks have to be made known, and Polley and Toews succeed in one of the best approaches to such a disturbing subject matter in recent memory.

The entire film feels muted, with some mossy greens and many wooden browns cloaking the visuals that otherwise feel next-to-greyscale. You can suggest that Women Talking is meant to feel dated, as if to remind us of how long females have been mistreated in society. You can also view this cinematography as a representation of the silencing of women, with their voices finally rising through the cracks of systemic imbalance, waiting to be heard by us. Perhaps this is an unfinished picture with the female presence slowly making its way into a portrait that has been void of completeness for years. However you view the cinematography by Luc Montpellier, you’ll find something profound here. Then there is Oscar winner Hildur Guðnadóttir whose score is an additional voice in this film about being heard: a beautifully poignant composition that speaks on behalf of the aching hearts of the women that are forced to change their lives because the awful men around them refuse to stop abusing them. In general, Polley’s take is authentically female, with many of Women Talking’s cast and crew members being female. Women are talking, and they’re communicating through how the film is made; the female gaze here is so significant.

At the forefront are the actual women talking, and they have been cast quite well. It’s futile to go one-by-one in depth, so I will do a bit of a quick recap. Rooney Mara’s Ona is an incredibly subtle performance that still carries oomph exactly when the established thespian chooses to: it’s being heavily slept on by the numerous awards shows that have overlooked her for Best Actress. I’ll always welcome Canadian acting legend Sheila McCarthy who aims to be the heart of Women Talking despite being challenged again and again; she presents her character being tested so naturally. Frances McDormand doesn’t have a major part here (she likely wanted to hop into the film she helped produce), but I’ll never deny her screen time. Ben Whishaw is excellent as August: the lone male amidst women that have had enough. His patient approach is the best approach the actor could have gone with. Finally, the two standouts of the film are saved for last. Claire Foy has never been better as the furious Salome, particularly because she says what many of the colony’s members are feeling but do not wish to state themselves. Her rage is instantly felt, but it is her search for hope that really shines underneath her anguish. Then there is Jessie Buckley: a performer that seems to keep winning lately, and she does so again with the film’s most complicated character (Mariche). With the widest emotional palette here, Buckley channels reactions and sensations in such raw, believable ways that it’s impossible not to be shaken up when watching her.

With all of this out of the way, we lead towards a resolution that is indicative of where we’re at in society: a lack of resolution due to civilization’s comfort within blissfulness. Women Talking may not conclude with absolute closure, but it extends a sentiment to its audience: we need to strive for change, because it has to start with someone. Once I was finished viewing this compelling, cogent drama, I felt crushed for two reasons. One: because Sarah Polley and Miriam Toews succeeded with the many points about society that they wanted to make. The second reason is because of how grossly under-seen I feel Women Talking is. It is disgustingly undervalued by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, garnering just two nominations for Polley’s screenplay and for its original score (absolutely nothing for it being one of the best films of the year, Polley’s direction, or any of its acting??). Its box office returns have been some of the worst of 2022, which is even more painful to remind myself of. I implore you to watch Women Talking, which is not just one of 2022’s best assembled works but also one of the most important films of the year. It continues Polley’s streak as a sensational filmmaker whilst providing crucial takes on monstrous actions that are sadly still present in society.

Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.