Women Talking (2022) * * *

Directed by:  Sarah Polley

Starring:  Jessie Buckley, Claire Foy, Frances McDormand, Sheila McCarthy, Ben Whishaw, Judith Ivey, August Winter

Women Talking is a dialogue about crimes committed by men against women before the age of #MeToo and the confusion among women as to how to respond to them,  Women Talking takes place in a religious commune circa 2010, although since the community is as isolated as the Amish, the year is immaterial.  Based on the Miriam Toews novel, Women Talking commences with a male member of the community raping and assaulting one of the female members.   He is caught and taken away by the police.   The men in the community conveniently travel en masse to town to bail out their friend, which gives the women time to meet in a barn and decide what they should do.   They can either forgive the men (since the man who was caught wasn't the only one to commit violent acts against the women), leave the compound, or fight back against the men.   There are three different camps, although the two most vocal arguments favor fighting back or leaving altogether.   The women's religious beliefs and faith play a huge part in their decisions. 

For these mostly subservient women, leaving would be a non-starter, but staying and fighting would mean possible further harm against the stronger male population, so what to do?   Salome (Foy) believes in fighting back, while Ona (Mara) favors leaving.   The remaining women (except for Frances McDormand's Jenz, who excuses herself from the debate early) divide up into the fight or flight camps.   The only male to stay behind, kindly and sympathetic schoolteacher August (Whishaw), is summoned to take the meeting minutes, although his role will greatly expand as expected as the meeting continues.  

Both sides make realistic, impassioned arguments, and the movie takes on a 12 Angry Men vibe as women switch sides and allegiances as the others give sound, valid assertions as to why their belief is the correct one.   The movie's tension arises from the fact that the men may return home at any time and whatever plan is agreed upon must be acted on hastily.   Writer-director Sarah Polley wisely shows us the aftermath of the crimes against the women in stark physical and psychological terms.   She isn't afraid to show us the bloodiness and ugliness on their bodies and on the bed sheets, which gives us a visual of what the women are indeed talking about.   This elevates the stakes and engages us despite the fact that while the actors deliver strong performances, the characters themselves aren't developed as individuals but as a collective.  Women Talking is thought-provoking and at times powerful, but at times it's also just, well, women talking.