Women Talking

Writer-director Polley's faithful, moving adaptation is a brilliantly performed tribute to the power of free will, debate, and justice in the face of oppression and violence. The action mostly takes place in a hayloft, where the Loewen and Friesen women (including two teens) discuss everything from doctrinal teachings to orienteering (most have never been beyond their colony) to the brutal facts surrounding the attacks against them. All of the actors provide a master class in range of expression and layered performance. Salome (Claire Foy) is a protective hothead, Ona is a curious dreamer, grandmother Agata is a gentle peacekeeper, Greta is a level-headed horse-lover, Mariche is an angry pragmatist, and teen best friends Autje (Kate Hallett) and Nietje (Liv McNeil) would rather be anywhere else. Whishaw is equally fantastic as the village black sheep who has lived out in the world but returned -- mostly for Ona. In the absence of much action, the actors must keep the momentum with their dialogue, and all of them are vibrantly up to the task.

With its mostly one-room setting, the story feels very much like a play, with each actor able to shine with monologues and interesting points throughout the meeting. Mara and Jessie Buckley have earned award nominations, but the two older actors, Ivey and McCarthy, are also riveting, as is the melancholic and ultimately hopeful score from Icelandic composer Hildur Guðnadóttir. Luc Montpellier's cinematography beautifully depicts the contradiction between the dark, intense dialogue scenes inside the barn and the expansive landscape scenes outside during moments of respite in the debate, particularly as the children of the colony play in sun-dappled fields. The art direction also supports the remoteness of the colony, where time seems to have stopped in an earlier century. This is a movie where the title says it all: It's a story of women talking about important themes, the meaning of life, and the ephemeral nature of safety and security. While it's obviously not a fun movie, Polley has done a remarkable job of infusing this serious film with moments of levity, humor, and joy.