Women Talking (2022)

The isolated women of a secluded Mennonite colony are the focus of Sarah Polley’s latest film, a harrowing story that details how one group of women chose to save themselves from the violent clutches of the men around them. “Women Talking” is adapted from Canadian author Miriam Toews’ 2018 novel of the same, and tells a stirring story of violence and survival over a balanced 104-minutes.

After a string of violent rapes throughout an isolated colony, eight women convene in a hayloft to discuss their options on how to react to the attacks committed against them by men within the colony. While the remaining men go into the city to bail out those who committed the attacks, the women find themselves with two days before the men return to decide their next course of action; leave, stay, or fight. As tensions rise, heads clash and the women struggle to agree on what to do, fearing the grave and religious repercussions of their decisions. With the men’s return drawing closer, the women must choose to either leave and settle elsewhere, stay and remain in the colony with the men, or fight when the men return from the city.

Polley skillfully brings Toews’ complex story of survival, love and determination to the screen, penning a detailed screenplay that proficiently juggles the source material and its challenging themes. The Canadian’s impressive work allows “Women Talking” to flourish as a dialogue-led film that sends a powerful message to its audiences without feeling flat or sluggish. As a director, Polley manages to draw masterful performances out of the film’s ensemble cast, with Claire Foy and Jessie Buckley giving outstanding performances in their respective roles. Foy delivers a bold, assured performance as Salome, one of the women of the colony who’s four-year-old daughter fell victim to the men’s vicious attacks, alongside Salome and the other women. The British actress shines in her role, displaying intense emotion in a stellar portrayal of a tortured woman desperate to save herself and her daughter. During the women’s discussions Salome bumps heads with Mariche (Buckley). Buckley’s stirring performance aptly bounces off of Foy’s, and the two women end up being the highlights of the film’s impressive ensemble, their commanding turns are elevated by the screenplay and combined with Polley’s stellar directing, wind up being some of the women’s best performances yet.

“Women Talking” not only benefits from a strong screenplay bolstered by knockout performances from Claire Foy and Jessie Buckley, but also profits from the immersive production and costumes, and the unique cinematography provided by Luc Montpellier (“Tales From the Loop”, “Counterpart”). The Canadian cinematographer creates a desaturated colour palette in the film, using changing levels of saturation to represent the passage of time in the film. Hildur Guðnadóttir, who previously won an Oscar for her work on Todd Phillip’s “Joker”, composes a brooding score that reflects the dark tone of the film’s subject matter. The Icelandic composer crafts affecting pieces of music that stay in your head long after the credits have rolled.

Sarah Polley’s moving film boasts dazzling performance from its entire ensemble, and impressive technical aspects over the course of its 104 minutes. “Women Talking” delivers a unique take on the #MeToo movement that manages to be engaging, while also allowing itself to tell a powerful story of how one group of women chose to stand up for themselves against the men who attacked them.