Quote:
"An atmosphere of empathy, reason and wit pervades [Sarah] Polley's film [Women Talking], underwritten by an emancipatory urgency ('that day we learned to vote') that drives the narrative even in its darkest moments. Flashbacks may illuminate these discussions, but Polley keeps the atrocities off-screen, relying instead on wonderfully nuanced ensemble performances to grip the audience's attention. Yes, individual images linger in the mind: an alarming overhead shot that implies both a God's-eye view and an out-of-body experience; a closeup of Frances McDormand's character Scarface Janz resembling Ingmar Bergman's iconic embodiment of Death. But it's the sinewy drama of the central philosophical argument that rings truest, calling to mind the passionate political debate set piece that lies at the heart of Ken Loach's Land and Freedom."
-- Mark Kermode

Source:
Kermode, Mark. "Women Talking review—a stellar ensemble energises Sarah Polley's timeless parable." Review of Women Talking. Guardian, February 12, 2023.