Movie · 2021 · Drama, Music, Romance · 1h 52m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 7.6/10 (660.1K ratings)
Every family has its own language.
Overview
As a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), Ruby is the only hearing person in her deaf family. When the family's fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her love of music and her fear of abandoning her parents.
Ratings
Curator score: 7.6/10
IMDb: 8.0/10
Letterboxd: 3.88/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
Metacritic: 72
TMDB: 7.9/10
Director
Sian Heder
Production
Vendôme Pictures, Pathé, Picture Perfect Entertainment
Cast
Emilia Jones, Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur, Eugenio Derbez, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Daniel Durant, Amy Forsyth, Kevin Chapman, John Fiore, Lonnie Farmer, Courtland Jones, Molly B. Thomas, Ayana Brown, Jason Pugatch, Kyana Fanene, Anilee List, Stone Martin, Maeve Chapman, Stephen Caliskan, Amanda Bradshaw
Where to watch
Apple TV Plus
Curator Review
Verdict
A warmly made, emotionally direct coming-of-age drama that earns its tears through character rather than manipulation. It’s familiar in shape, but the performances, family dynamics, and Deaf representation give it real heart and specificity.
Best for
viewers who like uplifting tearjerkers
fans of family-centered coming-of-age stories
people interested in Deaf culture and representation
audiences who enjoy music-driven dramas with a gentle tone
Skip if
you want something formally adventurous or unpredictable
you’re allergic to sentimental crowd-pleasers
you prefer high-conflict or darker dramas
you dislike familiar underdog storytelling
Overview
CODA is the kind of movie that knows exactly what it is and executes it with sincerity. The setup is classic coming-of-age material, but the film’s greatest strength is how grounded it feels in family routine, labor, and the practical intimacy of Deaf communication. It never treats Ruby’s home life as a problem to be solved; it treats it as a full world with its own humor, friction, and love.
Worth noting
The music-storyline is the most conventional part of the film, but the performances keep it alive. Emilia Jones carries the emotional split at the center of the story, while the family scenes give the movie its texture and warmth. Troy Kotsur and Marlee Matlin are especially strong, bringing both comic timing and lived-in tenderness.
Bottom line
If you’re looking for something surprising, this may feel a little too polished and familiar. But if you’re open to a well-made crowd-pleaser, CODA lands because it understands that a simple story can still hit hard when the details are honest.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Karsten (3.5★) · 10024 likes
CODA also stands for cried on da airplane
sloan yeehaw (3.5★) · 9578 likes
now why did that gay choir teacher have a wife
Patrick Willems (4★) · 8583 likes
I’m really jealous of how movie teenagers all seem to have their own isolated gorge full of water to swim in
matt lynch (3★) · 4894 likes
Nothing you haven't seen before but a very good version of that.
Sean Fennessey (4★) · 4105 likes
I gave this another shot after being totally unmoved by it out of Sundance. Three weeks ago my wife and I welcomed a beautiful baby girl into our life and so I am now legally and emotionally required to be moved to tears by coming of age stories in which a father truly sees and comes to understand his daughter. I don’t make the rules. Wonderful movie.