CODA: A Soulful, Compelling and Unique Teenage Movie

To be honest, at first, I thought CODA was a bit cheesy and predictable.

There are alot of elements here in this movie that you already would have seen in a standard coming-of-age story.

There is, of course, the highly ambitious protagonist who dreams of making it big in her career, the teacher who supports them, a side plot about an unrequited love, and a family that seems not too excited about the dreams and hopes of their child. But again, this is all at first glance.

Upon re-watching it, I realised CODA extends way beyond its superficial appearance of a cliched run-of-the-mill teen movie.

The core idea of the movie is not original.

It is based on the French film La Famille Bélier . But that does not mean it is a re-hashed adaptation with nothing new to add.

Firstly, you will be surprised to know that all the deaf characters in the movie have been played by actual deaf performers: Oscar winner Marlee Matlin, Troy Kostur and Daniel Durant.

This adds an astounding level of authenticity to the story.

Secondly, CODA is exuberant with some really golden comedic moments.

In one scene, Ruby’s deaf father Frank (Troy Kostur) comments how he likes listening to gangster rap in his car because of the way it makes his butt vibrate.

But most importantly, CODA is an emotionally engaging and heartwarming family drama.

The story revolves around the life of the Rossi family.

The 19-year-old high-school-going daughter, Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones), is the only hearing-able person in the family. That’s how the movie gets its title: Child of Deaf Adults (CODA).

Ruby helps with the family-owned fishing business. She is a singer and dreams of making it big someday. She is also the guardian angel of her family.

The mother for everyone. Without her, the Rossis seem to struggle and fall apart.

What I Thought About the Movie:

The pace of the movie at the beginning is a bit slow. Partially because it showcases Ruby’s life as a high-school girl, getting bullied and falling in love.

Don’t get me wrong, but I think the love friction that the directors were trying to include was unnecessary.

I wasn’t that much blown by the love connection between Ruby and her classmate, Miles.

There is a scene where Ruby gets furious when Miles tsells his friend about how “funny” their family is. Ruby feels hurt by the comment and for the rest of the plot, she remains pissed at him.

Though, I admire the way writer-director Sian Heder sketches out Ruby’s love for her family.

Throughout the movie, we see her being really defensive about her family members. She does not tolerate anyone calling them “dumb”, “stupid” or “deaf”.

In a heartwarming line of dialogue, she says to Miles, “You have no idea what it’s like to hear people laugh at your family. And you have to protect them, cause they can’t hear it, but I can.

I personally felt the love sequences would have been better.

But at the same time, I felt this was necessary to show how frustrated she is after trying to look after her family and at the same time, do something for herself.

Her moral duties towards her parents constantly seem to interfere with her friendships and dating life.

The situation is indeed a harrowing, painful struggle. .

The family decides to open a new business, and that forces Ruby to constantly run back and forth as an interpreter for her brother and father.

The family is so dependent on Ruby that in her absence, her father’s license gets suspended and he is charged with a fine of $2500.

Heider is adept at showing the mental anguish and the emotional turmoil that pulls Ruby apart. There is a tense conflict that keeps CODA compelling till the end.

After all, for a 19-year-old girl, Ruby is handling way more responsibilities than the ones meant for someone her age.

She has a desire to become a professional singer but she considers giving up on it once the financial situation of the family deteriorates.

I really like the scene where she sets an alarm for 3:00 and screams so hard while sitting in the room. You can feel the burning anger and overwhelming tiredness in that scream.

Nevertheless, the movie is full of stirring scenes, and it’s almost hard to pick a favorite one among so many. However, if I really have to choose, I’d choose Ruby’s audition scene.

At the beginning of the audition, Ruby is nervous, hoping that she’d fail. However, as she collects herself and begins to sing again, she sees her family sitting in the balcony of the concert.

She starts to sing in sign language while singing with the words out loud. She sings not just for the judges, but also for her family.

Although, if there’s one scene that really stands out among the other family drama that already existed in the market is this:

Just watch it yourself, you’ll get an idea of what I’m saying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZe25IEmNno

The brilliance of director Siân Heder of shutting the background sound was the way to show the music that is so powerful to hear. Even behind that, there’s a silence that only the deaf can struggle with.

If I get a chance to watch this movie again, I will happily watch it again.