"Women Talking": Movie Review
Written By Alex Greenbaum
I was utterly in awe of director and writer Sarah Polley's beautifully written screenplay for about half of the runtime of "Women Talking". As its cunning dialogue started to wear thin, its poor direction and comically contrived moments began to rear their ugly head. A talented cast of actresses, including Rooney Mara and Jesse Buckley, remain effective in their roles but can't save the misguided nature of its narrative. And the true story it's inspired by is so horrific that upon reading further, "Women Talking" doesn't take it far enough.
Following the disturbing details of the true story (taking place in Bolivia), 8 men were convicted of raping over 100 women and girls in a secluded religious community, which I would call a cult. These disturbing crimes were then written into a novel by one of the women who were a part of the community, Miriam Toews. Polley's screenplay takes obvious liberties in retelling this story, diminishing the events that actually took place.
95% of the film is located on the upper level of a barn where a handful of women and girls with a male recorder (Ben Wishaw) debate where they stand within the community. "Women Talking" has moments of brilliance that made me fall in love with its dialogue. But peeling back the curtain, the ugly direction, drab film style, and clear budget limitations hold any of its bright moments back. And once the film's climax begins, the unintentional humor of it all drowns its substance even further.
"Women Talking" deserves recognition for best-adapted screenplay at the Oscars, but a best-picture nomination seems like a step too far. Its exceptional writing and some solid performances didn't stop me from pondering the true story more than the film itself. These women in Bolivia deserved more than a filmmaker taking liberty with facts in exchange for Hollywood posturing.
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