CODA

I must've watched a different film from everyone else, cause this was fine, not a best picture front runner.

On the surface this film could've been fantastic (and one I should've ate up), a coming-of-age film focusing on a story that rarely gets told in any media, showcasing the complex family dynamics that come from having a CODA, and the pressures and struggles that child faces. And yes that's the story this film tries to tell but god the execution is netflix romcom level bad, let alone an Academy award level film.

All the technical elements in the film are subpar, there's nothing special, or anything that truly stands out. That doesn't mean the film is automatically bad, it just doesn't help elevate it if other parts are weak. Unfortunately, there are other weak parts. The acting is all over the place. In moments, it's actually quite compelling then the next scene has some of the most over-the-top acting that is so jarring, the characters start to feel like caricatures not real people.

Everything just felt so on-the-nose, nothing surprising happened, every story beat was predictable. And while that isn't inherently bad, the film has to execute these plot points well for the film to have any sort of impact. The romance was lacklustre and unbelieveable, the teacher dynamic felt like a slapstick comedy, not the emotional story that it's meant to be and the school scenes were awful.

A massive nitpick I had with the film was that the costumes of characters were inconsistent with the story of the film. Characters would be dressed one way and then a few days would go by and they’d be dressed the same way. I get that it would’ve been easier for the production and scheduling of scenes but it was an indication of lazy direction.

The saving grace of this film were the family scenes, they were well-written, in comparison to the rest of the film, and had an emotional heart to them. (Yes I cried like a baby when she started signing at the end) That is the reason I think this film is getting acclaim, the ending is getting people emotional and they're absolving the film of all its subpar elements. And while I don't think like others who watched this film, and didn't enjoy it, that it would've been better if it focused on the parents, I think the film missed the mark on telling an emotionally resonant story that hasn't been told before.