The title of Sarah Polley's 2022 film, which is based on the 2018 Miriam Toews novel of the same name, is true to its word. A group of Mennonite women (led by Rooney Mara, Jessie Buckley, and Claire Foy) conduct a secret meeting in order to discuss whether they should stay or leave their ultraconservative community after discovering that the men and older boys have been drugging and raping them in the night. ("Women Talking" is loosely based on real events.) For so long, these women were deceived by the male elders, who make godly excuses for the heinous acts. And the women are not allowed to read or write, making them ill-prepared to make decisions about their own bodies.
"Women Talking" is the rare film that looks at the toxicity of a male-dominated society through a female gaze. The film doesn't make excuses for these men, nor does it allow them to explain themselves. (A soft-spoken teacher, played by Ben Whishaw, is the only man with any dialogue in the film.) It is rare that women are given so much time to discuss their wants, needs, and desires on screen. It's what makes the ending of this film all the more satisfying: After being silenced for so long, they finally get their voices back. The film is out in theaters Dec. 2.
