CODA: The Heartwarming Best Picture Winner Finally Gets a Physical Release (4K)

The Film:

Back in 2021, Sian Heder's "CODA" (Child of Deaf Adults) premiered at Sundance to decent reviews, but not a particularly high amount of fanfare. However, little did anyone know that in just a little over a year, it would be claiming the Oscar for Best Picture (along with Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Troy Kotsur), shattering several major stats on its amazing journey to victory, including having only three nominations in total (no film had won with less than five since the '30s) and not receiving a nod from the Directors Guild (only "Driving Miss Daisy" had accomplished this previously).

It being an Apple Original Film, it was only available on streaming for the next few years, but at long last, they've finally decided to honor the film by giving it a physical release, and in a stunning 4K transfer no less, so now it's time to go back and take another look at this "little film that could" to see how it was able to capture the hearts of so many, including the Academy voters that honored it as the best of its year.

Taking place in Massachusetts, the film focuses on Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones), whose father Frank (Troy Kotsur), mother Jackie (Marlee Matlin), and brother Leo (Daniel Durant) are all deaf, making her the only hearing member of the family. The family runs a fishing business, which Ruby helps out with, but plans to join full-time after high school. One day, she notices her crush, Miles Patterson (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), sign up for choir, which causes her to do the same. Ruby is skittish at first, but with her teacher, Bernardo Villalobos (Eugenio Derbez), enouraging her, she eventually finds her voice, and even gets assigned a duet with Miles.

Meanwhile, things aren't going so well for the family business, with them finding the rates & fees to be rather unfair, which eventually leads them to make the daring move of starting their own business. However, the family starts to rely heavily on Ruby to help out, which begins to get in the way of her new passion for music, a problem that becomes even more pressing as Mr. Villalobos helps her prepare for an important audition. Will she be able to pursue her passion, or will her family's pressing needs ultimately prevent her from doing so?

"CODA" is one of those films that no one's going to mistake for having a particularly complicated plotline, or for being too difficult to determine how its little drama will play out, but when you have a story this sweet, engaging, and told this remarkably well, things like predictability and complexity hardly seem to matter. What Oscar-winning screenwriter Sian Heder has done here is taken a somewhat simple story and told it in such a way so as to play perfectly on the heartstrings of the audience, making them genuinely care about these normal, everyday characters as they try to go about their regular lives.

Of course, having a situation where your main character has to choose between two difficult options involving family is hardly new, but the situation that Heder develops is certainly one that's quite unique in its own right, one that's made all the more believable & compelling by the extraordinary ensemble headed by Emila Jones, who pours the perfect amount of emotional depth into Ruby, again making the audience sympathize with her difficult situation. With supporting turns from Oscar winners Troy Kotsur & Marlee Matlin as her parents, as well as a fine turn by Eugenio Derbez as the encouraging music teacher (a role that could easily be deemed cliched, but which he works wonders with), it's hardly a surprise that the film won SAG's prestigious Best Cast in a Motion Picture award. All of them help the film overcome any sense of simplicity regarding its narrative and make this little drama all the more engaging.

Overall, "CODA" may indeed not hold much in the way of surprises, but it makes up for it with plenty of other remarkable elements that provide surprises enough, including its rather unique narrative & wonderful cast. The debate is still going on somewhat as to whether it should've gone all the way to win Best Picture, but at the very least, it seems like most people believe that it was deserving of the honor, even if it wasn't quite the best film of 2021. However, most important is the fact that it's finally getting a physical release, meaning that the multitudes of people who don't stream films can now catch up with it and finally experience this heartwarming gem for themselves, while those that have been waiting to own it can do so at long last, which in the end makes all the difference for a release like this.

Video/Audio:

"CODA" comes to 4K in a 1.85:1, 2160p Ultra High Definition transfer of excellent quality, with the upgrade having the film looking perfectly sharp & clear throughout its entire 111-minute duration. Likewise, the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track is fantastic, giving you all of the dialogue & music in outstanding quality. Overall, Apple has done a marvelous job in both departments for the film's long-awaited physical release.

Special Features:

None.

Conclusion:

Sian Heder's "CODA" may not take any particularly surprising turns as it unravels its little family drama, but what it lacks in surprises it more than makes up for with its other extraordinary elements, including its unique narrative & wonderful ensemble. Now that it's receiving a physical release, and in a beautiful 4K transfer no less, fans can finally own it at long last, while many non-streaming moviegoers can now experience this heartwarming gem for themselves. In either case, it's very much worth picking up and adding to your personal collection.

Score: 4/5

Available on 4K starting tomorrow.

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