CODA

 

The title of Sian Heder's Golden Globe-nominated feature is CODA. It is the acronym for Child of Deaf Adults but it is also the term used to refer to the final passage of a musical composition, which often strays away from the original theme. Both meanings apply to Heder's sweetly touching film about a young woman named Ruby (a terrific Emilia Jones) growing up in Gloucester, the only hearing member of her family (all played by deaf actors), who has come to rely on her as a translator and buffer with the hearing world.

Ruby has a powerful singing voice, developed by crooning along to the music on her family's fishing boat, which she works along with her father (Troy Kotsur) and brother (Daniel Durant) before school. She hides her talent or interests from her isolating mother (a radiant Marlee Matlin) to avoid criticism. When she follows a handsome boy (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) into signing up for choir class, the course of Ruby's life takes a sharp turn as she is encouraged by her music teacher (Eugenio Derbez) to apply for admission to Berklee School of Music in Boston. This leads to clashes with her fearful parents and her resentful brother and with her own self-doubts.

Heder's story shares some elements with other films that depict young people tugging at the strong gravitational pull of family ties that are made even tighter because of eternal pressures (Running on Empty, Billy Elliott, among them). But it's the story's treatment of the CODA's unique challenges that gives this film special resonance. Though it has some small narrative holes, the picture has tremendous heart and will likely not leave a dry eye in the house as viewers hear and see Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" performed by Jones. A beautiful, expressive rendition.