The movie has been named one of the best dramas of the 2020s so far.
Released in cinemas in Ireland and the UK in February 2023, Women Talking arrived on a wave of adoration, but unfortunately it failed to make much of an impact on the big screen.
While the movie was nominated for Best Picture at this year's Oscars, and even took home the trophy for Best Adapted Screenplay, chances are it went completely under most people's radar when initially released here. Hopefully the new availability to stream at home will fix that.
Already named one of the best dramas of the 2020s by several outlets, Women Talking is set in an isolated religious community in 2010. When the women of the commune discover that some of the men have been using animal tranquilisers to subdue and rape them, they meet in secret to decide their course of action within the community going forward. There are three votes to choose from: stay and do nothing, stay and fight, or leave immediately.
The incredible ensemble cast consists of some of the best acting talent in the world today, including Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Ben Whishaw, and Frances McDormand. Check out the trailer for the movie right here:
Women Talking was a bit of a box office flop but hopefully will get a new lease of life at home
Upon release, the movie didn't do super well at the box office - just $9 million worldwide - but did score brilliantly with critics (90% on Rotten Tomatoes), with some of those highlights right here:
The Independent - "Even if Sarah Polley’s superlative work doesn’t get the plaudits or the audience it deserves, it should stand to have a far greater legacy. This is the kind of cinema that endures - not just as a great work of art (although it is that), but as something that moves us all forward."
Variety - "The whole scenario is designed to get your blood boiling, while the resulting conversation can’t help but instil hope, as Polley gives these women a rare opportunity to reinvent their world."
The New York Times - "The root of Protestantism, after all, is protest - against arbitrary and unaccountable authority in the name of a higher truth. Women Talking reawakens that idea and applies it, with precision and passion, to our own time and circumstances. The women don’t want pity or revenge. They want a better world. Why not listen?"
IndieWire - "Hard as it might be to imagine, Women Talking is an upbeat and propulsive film cut with a sharp wit and a ready sense of humor, even if its characters are often laughing as hard as they wish they could cry."
Women Talking is available to watch on Prime Video right now.
Read more:
