CODA

Directed by Siân Heder, CODA, which is an acronym for “child of deaf adults,” follows Emilia Jones’ Ruby as she attempts to balance her passion for singing with the more down-to-earth demands of her deaf parents (Troy Kotsur’s Frank and Marlee Matlin’s Jackie). Filmmaker Heder, armed with her own screenplay, delivers a deliberately-paced drama that doesn’t, at the outset, boast much in the way of overly engaging, engrossing attributes, as Heder’s reliance on often egregiously conventional narrative elements, including a tedious subplot involving Ruby’s high-school bullies, is compounded by her decidedly less-than-stylish approach to the material (ie the picture’s movie-of-the-week visual sensibilities remains a distraction, undoubtedly). It’s clear, then, that CODA benefits substantially from the often breathtakingly effective work of its various performers, as Jones’ completely captivating turn as the sympathetic protagonist is matched (and then some) by both Kotsur and Matlin (and Daniel Durant, cast as Ruby’s deaf older brother) – with the strength of the actors’ efforts paving the way for a final third that packs one heck of an unexpected emotional wallop. The end result is an erratic yet mostly rewarding drama that fares best when focused on the central characters and their low-key exploits, and there’s little doubt, ultimately, that CODA stands as an often spellbinding portrait of the dynamic between hearing and deaf family members.

***1/2 out of ****