By The Double Feature: Versus crew takes a look at “WOMEN TALKING”
Synopsis
The women of an isolated religious colony reveal a shocking secret about the colony’s men. For years, the men have occasionally drugged the women and then raped them. The truth comes out and the women talk about their new situation.
Blak’s commentary
There is a reason – and a darn good reason – as to why this film was listed as my fourth favorite film of 2022. Sarah Polley presents a tense, thought-provoking, powerful vision of women tasked with three life-changing decisions to consider within a submissive colony: Do Nothing. Stay and Fight. Or Leave. What follows in its 104 minutes is a terrific chamber piece, filled with great dialogue, tight direction, terrific conflict and emotional resolution. Out of an ensemble one director could only dream of, the key MVPs of this picture toggles between the fiery Jesse Buckley and the fierce Claire Foy. As these characters debate and clash, their acting lights up the screen and makes this important clockwork decision much more dire to make. Most dialogue-filled films don’t work because of a lack of pace or lack of interest, “Women Talking” defies the odds with tense pace and terrific interest.
5 / 5
Brad’s commentary
Originally when this film came out it passed by me, until Anthony highly recommended it and then put it on his best of 2022 list. Thats when I knew there was something to this movie, and to check it out. Following a group of women as they have to decide whether they should stay in a village that treats them as objects for the men who live there or to leave “Women Talking” takes a close up approach to the topic. The entire film takes place mostly inside the top level of a barn where the women discuss their decisions and argue over what is their best course of action to take. The differing views and ideas about what their circumstances are and how to approach a solution causes backlash, verbal battles, and some very deep moments of dialogue. Overall the film maanges to keep the viewer entertained on what amounts to a mostly dialogue driven movie. There’s no action scenes, or eye catching moments throughout “Women Talking” but the situation and the dialogue hold this movie up amazingly. It is a must watch for cinephiles and everyone into heavy dramas, but for the normal movie goer this one might be a little bit too much dialogue to handle. Overall though I have to say its worth giving a shot because I highly doubt you will regret it.
4.5 / 5
Double Feature: Versus Podcast
Check out Blak and Brad’s full thoughts on WOMEN TALKING as well as SHE SAID on the latest episode, available to listen to now!
Double Feature VS is a podcast series in which two friends Anthony and Brad step in front of the mic and clash heads, come together, break up, and come together again on the subject of two competing films on each episode. Directorial debut vs Sophomore slump (or success), critically acclaimed vs fan-favorite, original vs sequel, blond vs ginger, ebony vs melanin, etc. The possibilities? Endless. The arguments? Futile. The debates? Epic (also humorous). The combination of audio material, written film reviews and video commentaries (all found on doublefeaturevs.com) are all part of what makes this a great new series for cinephiles, moviegoers, movie lovers and everybody in-between.
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