From the very opening ofWomen Talking, the first film fromSarah Polleysince 2012’sStories We Tell, it’s clear the world of this movie isn’t right. The colors are muted, almost faded, like a memory half-remembered. During a screening of the film at TIFF, Polley stated that the powerful cinematography fromLuc Montpellierrepresented a time long past, almost like the movie we’re about to see is already a memory. But as we watch this story of women trying to decide how to handle their futures, their faith, and their freedoms going forward, this palette almost reminds us that these women won’t see the true beauty of the world until they are equal and free from the world that has held them down for so long.
Written by Polley and based on theMiriam Toewsbook of the same name,Women Talkingsays early on that “what follows is an act of female imagination.” The women of an unnamed religious community have long been drugged and raped during the night, believing that these attacks were a punishment for their misdeeds from a greater entity. After two young girls see one of the male attackers leave one night, several of the men in the community are arrested, while the others head into town to pay the incarcerated men’s bail. While the men are away, a group of women congregates in a barn to try and figure out what their next course of action should be: should they do nothing, stay and fight, or leave the colony for good?
Women Talkingbegins with a character saying that “this story ends before you were born,” hinting that there is a future for the next generation, despite how bleak this story can become at times. While Polley herself states thatWomen Talkingis supposed to make this feel like the past, it’s also horribly disappointing just how prescient this story remains. Even thoughWomen Talkingmostly takes place in the aforementioned barn, there are little hints that this is in the not-too-distant past, as a truck drives by the community, blasting The Monkees’ “Daydream Believer,” a burst of auditory joy that almost seems threatening in the context of this tale.
Taking part in these discussions is one of the best ensemble casts of the year, includingJessie Buckley,Rooney Mara, andBen Whishaw—the one man left behind who takes the notes of the meeting. But the standout here isClaire Foy, who demands that the rest of the women do something, furious about their treatment, and ready for change. With Foy’s performance as Salome, it’s easy to feel years of pain and suffering compacted inside her, ready to burst, as this world has become too much for her to bear. In a world where even the animals have more rights than the women, Salome’s righteous anger is a catharsis that this group and film need to deal with this situation.
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As the title implies,Women Talkingis primarily comprised of this group discussing what to do next, and this dialogue is utterly captivating. Polley’s screenplay is nothing short of awe-inspiring, as she quickly sets up the positions, stakes, and beliefs of each of these women, before having them break down the pros and cons of the biggest decision they’ve ever had to make in their lives. With films likeAway from HerandTake This Waltz, Polley has shown the incredible power of extremely emotional shifts in a person’s life, and how beautifully she can handle these moments with care and consideration. Yet her work inWomen Talkingmight be her best so far, an endlessly enthralling conversation with extremely dire stakes that will change the future not just of these women, but for future generations as well. In a very natural way, Polley’s script manages to fit so much into these conversations, the joys, the pains, and the fears of what is to come.
But even thoughWomen Talkingis largely confined to this barn, through these performances and Polley’s script, we feel like we’re getting a great understanding of what this experience has been like, and being allowed to put together the pieces of what we aren’t seeing. Just by having this conversation about whether to stay, fight, or leave, these women are already breaking new ground for themselves and the future. Yet in the way this is portrayed, these two days of discussions about religion and independent thought and freedom, we feel like no matter what choice is made, these women will never be the same again after this conversation. With the men returning soon, there’s a very palpable sense of danger looming, and since the choice will alter this community forever, there’s almost something apocalyptic to Polley’s story, as if once the men return, everything will be entirely different. This is largely aided byHildur Guðnadóttir’s restrained yet powerful score that highlights the impact of what these women are doing, and the new step forward this experience represents for them all.
Polley’s adaptation of Toews' book is one of the most mesmerizing and haunting films of the year, also featuring one of the best screenplays and one of the best casts in 2022. With films likeAway We Go,Take This Waltz, and the documentaryStories We Tell, Polley has shown the weight of tremendous emotional decisions, but never have they felt as dire and urgent as in the conversation being had inWomen Talking. After a decade away from film directing, Polley has returned with what might be her finest film so far, a striking and potent look at women’s rights, the stories we tell to avoid the truth, and the difficulties in making the right choice.
