In 2021, we all need to take joy where we can find it. And after the pandemic-driven year and a half, we’ve all endured globally, it’s honestly time for more movies that simply make you feel better as a result of watching them, that remind us about the good that exists in the world around us. Coda is that movie on steroids, a heartfelt depiction of a family that will make you laugh, cry, and just leave you feeling all kinds of warm and fuzzy afterward. It’s exactly the kind of movie we all probably need to see right now, earnest and hopeful down to the ground.
Sure, the basic plot of Coda is pretty much your standard coming-of-age tale: A young girl finds her voice literally and figuratively over the course of two hours. But this film manages to take those familiar pieces and spin them into something that feels entirely new: An inclusive tale of love, family, and following your heart.
The story follows teenager Ruby Rossi (Jones), who is the film’s titular CODA, or child of deaf adults. The only hearing member of her family, Ruby is often required to serve as a bridge between the Rossis and the rest of the world, interpreting for them in situations ranging from business needs to intimate doctors’ appointments. She struggles to navigate between the deaf world of her family – who doesn’t understand her love of singing, partly because they can’t experience it – and the cruel world of high school, where her loved ones are often made fun of or called freaks.
Emilia Jones shines in heartfelt family drama Coda
Newcomer Emilia Jones carries much of this movie on her back, in a delicately layered performance that honestly depicts the Rossi family’s complicated relationships with one another and the challenges they face. Her performance is utterly charming throughout, and I look forward with great anticipation to see what sort of roles Jones will choose next.
It’s obvious that Ruby both adores her family and resents the restrictions their disabilities have put on her life. She’s frequently embarrassed by her well-meaning but often inappropriate parents (Troy Kotsur and Marlee Matlin, both of whom are also incredible) and she seems to feel ashamed by the family’s blue-collar business and frequently messy home.
But when Ruby joins the school choir – and meets a teacher who recognizes both her talent and her passion for music – she starts dreaming of a life that’s bigger than her family’s fishing business. Thanks to a teacher that recognizes her talent, she starts working to prepare for an audition at the Berklee College of Music in Boston – the first time she’s ever really even thought about continuing her education after high school.
The film’s subsequent exploration of love and obligation is deftly handled, evenly presenting the perspectives of all sides without ever casting any singular character as the bad guy – or even implying that any of them are wrong for feeling the way they do. Instead, their reactions all just feel very honest – right down to Ruby’s entirely predictable, yet somehow still extremely sweet romance with her duet partner. (They jump off a cliff together! It’s very adorable!)
A darling of this year’s virtual Sundance Film Festival, Coda was almost immediately scooped up AppleTV+ afterward for a whopping price tag of $25 million – and then, for some reason, was given subsequently zero promotion prior to its release on the streaming platform. Here’s hoping positive word of mouth manages to propel this film in front of viewers anyway because it’s the rare buzzy festival darling that actually deserves to crossover into mainstream success.
Coda is now streaming on AppleTV+. Are you planning to give it a look? Sound off in the comments.