Pros: A taunt screenplay from director Sarah Polley and brilliant acting lead the way with a plot that is sadly becoming commonplace as a group of Mennonite women gather to discuss how to deal with the men of their colony who rape them en masse. It is disturbing especially since the men try to normalize everything and even rationale everything, telling the women that everything is in their heads. Each character is unique and perfectly acted; however, with so many good performances, the women probably cancelled each other out at the Oscars, leaving this film with a pitiful amount of nominations, though it deserved a lot more.
Cons: Seriously, you're going to cast three-time Oscar winner Frances McDormand in such a small role? She has literally three minutes of screen time and only about two lines, plus some great stern looks. That's it. The actress, film and viewer all deserve better.
Recommend: Yes but this film should come with a trigger warning.
Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-Their are brilliant performances from both the established and unknown including Rooney Mara, Jessie Buckley, Claire Foy, Ben Whitshaw, Judith Ivey, Sheila McCarthy, Liv McNeil, Michelle McLeod and August Winter.
-As the lone man, August (Whitshaw) is the schoolteacher who loves Ona (Mara) and is the only literate one present.
-Yes, that's right, the women albeit incredibly well-spoken, they are uneducated and cannot read or write.
-The tender love story between Ona, pregnant with her attacker's child and August is incredibly sweet though it cannot be.
-In the end the women decide to leave, while August stays behind, tasked with the impossible mission to educate the young boys to make better decision.
-The transgender character of Nettie/Melvin (Winter) is portrayed surprisingly well for women sequestered from the rest of the world.
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