--- title: "Women Talking" year: 2022 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/women-talking" fi1m_id: "women-talking" imdb_id: "tt13669038" tmdb_id: 777245 wikidata_id: "Q108030443" fi1m_score: 76 critics_score: 75 critics_reviews: 16 published: "2026-09-10" updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:11.334769+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Women Talking (2022) Directed by Sarah Polley · 1h 44m · MPA PG-13 · Drama ## Identity Women Talking - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/women-talking - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** women-talking - **IMDb ID:** tt13669038 - **TMDB ID:** 777245 - **Wikidata ID:** Q108030443 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13669038/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/777245, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108030443 **Fi1m score: 76** · Critics 75 from 16 reviews *In a sentence:* Eight women, one barn, two days, and a schoolteacher who is only allowed to hold the pencil > Sarah Polley’s film of Miriam Toews’s novel is a two-day argument in a hayloft, and the arguing is superb. The pictures are less so: Luc Montpellier drains the colour until the whole thing looks left out in the rain. Worth it for the women. ## Synopsis In a remote Mennonite colony, the women have been waking bruised and bleeding for years and have been told by their elders that it was ghosts, or the devil, or their own imaginations. Now they know it was men from the colony. The accused have been taken to the city, the other men have followed to arrange bail, and the women have two days to decide what to do: nothing, stay and fight, or leave. The vote ties. Eight of them climb into a hayloft to settle it, while August (Ben Whishaw), the schoolteacher, takes the minutes, because none of them can write. Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey and Sheila McCarthy are among the women. Sarah Polley writes and directs, from Miriam Toews’s novel. ## Review The women of a remote Mennonite colony have been drugged and attacked in their beds for years and told by their elders it was ghosts, or the devil, or their imaginations. Now they know it was men from the colony. Those men are in custody in the city, the rest have gone after them to arrange bail, and the women have two days to decide: do nothing, stay and fight, or leave. Sarah Polley’s film of Miriam Toews’s novel spends most of its 104 minutes in a hayloft while eight of them settle it. The talk is good. The pictures are not, and that matters more than it should in a film about talk. Nobody in the loft can write, so August (Ben Whishaw), the schoolteacher, sits at the edge and takes the minutes. He is the only man on screen for most of the film, and Whishaw plays him as someone trying to take up as little room as a body can. The argument runs between the practical and the theological, and Polley keeps them tangled: if they leave, are they abandoning God or finding him; if they stay, what happens to the boys; if forgiveness is demanded, does it count. It sounds like homework. Mostly it is not, because the women keep interrupting each other. Claire Foy’s Salome has already gone at one of the men with a scythe and comes into every exchange as if she has been holding her breath since. When she says she will kill anyone who touches her child again, we believed her, and it frightened us slightly, which we think Polley intended. Jessie Buckley’s Mariche is the harder case: married to a man who beats her, and angriest at the women who have choices. Buckley plays her tight-mouthed and quick, and the scene where the loft finally turns and asks why she is like this is the best in the film. Rooney Mara’s Ona, pregnant by one of the attackers and strangely calm about it, is the thinker of the group, and Mara has the hardest job, which is making calm interesting next to Foy. The older women are where the film is funniest. Sheila McCarthy’s Greta explains almost everything by way of her two horses, Ruth and Cheryl, and gets away with it every time. Judith Ivey’s Agata has the authority of someone who has buried people. The teenagers, Autje (Kate Hallett) and Neitje (Liv McNeil), plait their hair together and lie on the floor while the adults decide their lives; it is Autje who narrates, to a child not yet born. We laughed more than we expected to. Then someone would say plainly what had been done to a child, and we stopped. Now the problem. Luc Montpellier has shot it with the colour drained nearly to nothing: white skies, grey-green fields, skin the colour of putty. We take the point, that this is the past being remembered, but the effect is of a film seen through a dirty window, and it flattens faces that are doing fine work. Peter Cosco’s loft is a good space, tall and slatted, with light in bars across the floor, and Quita Alfred’s dresses, dark blue and small florals, are exactly right; neither gets much chance to register. Partway through a census truck drives past the colony playing *Daydream Believer* out of a loudspeaker, and briefly the film has colour and air. Then the truck goes. Hildur Guðnadóttir scores it for guitar and low strings, and she uses it sparingly. Christopher Donaldson and Roslyn Kalloo cut the loft so that a reaction across the circle is always to hand, which is how a film of people sitting down manages to move. They are less sure when Polley leaves the loft for quick bleached glimpses of the mornings after, which tell us nothing the women have not already told us. The script has its own weakness: the women sometimes stop being people and become positions. There is a stretch in the middle, around the third return to whether forgiveness can be required, when we noticed we were being taught, and we minded. Polley’s *Away from Her* and *Stories We Tell* were better at letting a scene mean something without saying so. Which of the three they choose we will not say. The ending is quieter than the argument, and that is right. It is a 15 certificate; the violence is never shown and is talked about constantly, and the second is harder. Watch it with someone you will want to argue with afterwards, because you will. *Fi1m score 76, published 10 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics like Women Talking, and the praise clusters almost entirely in one place: the ensemble. Claire Foy and Jessie Buckley are named again and again, with Rooney Mara and Ben Whishaw close behind, and reviewers credit Sarah Polley with keeping a film that is mostly women arguing in a barn moving, and with finding humour in material that could have been unrelieved. The reservations gather around the look. The Telegraph finds the colour palette morose; The i Paper goes further and calls the visuals ugly and sludgy; Radio Times finds the whole thing sombre and muted. The New Yorker takes a related line, admiring the script and finding the direction too conventional to match it. The one outright dissent comes from Sight and Sound, which calls the film didactic and sanctimonious. Warm reviews far outnumber the doubters, but the doubters agree with each other about what is wrong. ## Straight answers **Is Women Talking worth watching?** *Women Talking* is worth watching for anyone who can sit with 104 minutes of argument in a hayloft, and we scored it 76. Sarah Polley's film of Miriam Toews's novel is superbly acted by Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley and Rooney Mara among others, but Luc Montpellier drains the colour until faces doing fine work are flattened. Best seen with someone you will want to argue with afterwards. **How long is Women Talking, and what is it rated?** *Women Talking* runs 1h 44m and is rated PG-13 by the MPA in the US. It is a drama film. **Where can I watch Women Talking in the US?** *Women Talking* is streaming on Amazon Prime Video in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is Women Talking, and is it suitable for children?** *Women Talking* carries a 15 certificate in the UK, and its violence is never shown but talked about constantly, which is the harder of the two. Rape, beatings and attacks on children are described plainly by women in a barn, so it is not for children and will test some teenagers. Nothing here frightens in the horror sense; the fear is in what is said. **How does Women Talking compare to 12 Angry Men?** *Women Talking* and [*12 Angry Men*](https://film.one/film/12-angry-men) are both films about a room, a vote and an argument that shifts as people listen, and Sidney Lumet's is the tighter and more gripping of the two. Polley's film has the stranger, sadder subject and a fine cast, but its drained colour and occasional lecturing hold it back. Lumet's if you want to be gripped; Polley's if you want to be provoked. **Is Women Talking based on a true story or a book?** *Women Talking* is based on a novel, Miriam Toews's book of the same name, which Sarah Polley adapted and directed. The film keeps to eight women in a hayloft over two days, with a schoolteacher taking the minutes because none of them can write. You do not need to have read the book, though readers may notice when the women stop being people and become positions. **What should I watch after Women Talking?** After *Women Talking*, try [*12 Angry Men*](https://film.one/film/12-angry-men) (1957, Fi1m 91): One room, one vote, and a verdict that changes as the arguing goes on. Then [*Mustang*](https://film.one/film/mustang) (2015, Fi1m 84): Five sisters locked in a Turkish house decide, together, that they will not stay; and [*Stories We Tell*](https://film.one/film/stories-we-tell) (2012, Fi1m 77): Polley interrogates her own family on camera, and lets the contradictions stand. ### Reviews we read (23) - **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it a brilliant, rich drama and worthy Best Picture contender, singling out the distinct, knotty personalities of the starry ensemble (including lesser-known talents) and the surprising humor and insouciance amid the heavy subject matter. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/women-talking-movie-review-claire-foy-jessie-buckley-sexual-abuse-cult-b1031833.html) - **Empire**, Beth Webb (85/100, inferred): The critic praises Polley's assured return as director and the formidable ensemble's nuanced performances in this intense, dialogue-driven chamber piece set in a barn. It highlights how the film wrestles hope and emotional depth from intergenerational trauma without showing the violence itself. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/women-talking/) - **Financial Times**, Danny Leigh (85/100, inferred): Polley achieves something extraordinary with a film mostly limited to characters in conversation, achieving spry, propulsive direction that flows through the rage with possibility, laughter and reminders of the crimes. The women are portrayed as more than victims. [Read](https://www.ft.com/content/489d00dd-746a-47f6-8d14-9314cfbc421e) - **Little White Lies**, Lillian Crawford (4/4/5): A moving adaptation in which a group of women in a remote Mennonite colony meet in secret to decide their future. [Read](https://lwlies.com/talent/sarah-polley) - **Screen Daily** (80/100, inferred): Sarah Polley’s focused, forceful drama about women reeling from sexual abuse delves deeply into mixed emotions on faith and forgiveness, providing an acting showcase without easy catharsis. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/women-talking-toronto-review/5174281.article) - **The Telegraph**, Robbie Collin (4/5): The film is a gripping prison-break story in which the women verbally extract themselves from the patriarchy through nuanced, contemplative talk in a barn setting. It is beautifully performed despite a sometimes morose colour palette. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/women-talking-review-gripping-prison-break-film-women-prisoners/) - **Time Out**, Anna Bogutskaya (4/5): The film offers a powerful exploration of anger, endurance and forgiveness through strong performances from Jessie Buckley and Claire Foy in a sombre, theatrical drama about female autonomy. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/women-talking-2022) - **The AV Club**, Leigh Monson (B): The critic commends the film's choral approach to the feminist struggle and nuanced ensemble performances depicting varied responses to patriarchal oppression. It notes some drawbacks in integrating certain characters but finds the human connections effective. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/a-review-of-sarah-polleys-powerful-drama-women-talking-1849778280) - **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (70/100, inferred): The review finds the script sublime and powerful but the film only very good, as the direction and filming do not fully do justice to the text or amplify its impact. It highlights the women's coming to consciousness through language as the core drama but notes conventional images and performances. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/women-talking-reviewed-a-sublime-script-a-merely-very-good-movie) - **Radio Times**, James Mottram (3/5): Sarah Polley’s tale of female empowerment features a grand cast and bold approach to a traumatic true story, with a stellar ensemble, but it is a sombre and muted affair. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-vj670x/women-talking/) - **The i Paper**, Christina Newland (60/100, inferred): The critic finds the film powerful, sensitive, and well-acted with poignant dialogue on solidarity and dissent, but singles out its bafflingly ugly, sludgy visuals and occasional weightiness as major drawbacks that undermine its impact. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/women-talking-review-powerful-feminist-drama-2136737) - **Sight and Sound** (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film formulaic and didactic, shackled by its own sanctimonious script and insipid cinematography with an unreal patina, though Polley’s personal investment in the material is genuine. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/women-talking-this-formulaic-feminist-drama-shackled-its-didactic-tactics) - **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang: The critic calls the ensemble acting the year's best and praises Polley's brilliant distillation of the novel into an artful, incisive conversation among the women. It singles out the rich, metaphor-filled dialogue and spiritual weight of the women's deliberations. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-12-22/women-talking-review-sarah-polley-rooney-mara-jessie-buckley-claire-foy) - **The Guardian**, Mark Kermode: Polley’s inventive adaptation boasts wonderfully nuanced performances from the female ensemble and a vibrant, engaging tone with acerbic humour. The real action lies in the knotty central philosophical argument among the women deciding their future. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/feb/12/women-talking-review-sarah-polley-timeless-parable-sexual-abuse-mennonites-rooney-mara-claire-foy-jessie-buckley-frances-mcdormand) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Sheri Linden: The critic praises Polley's smart, compassionate film for centering the women's powerful discussions on justice, faith, and self-liberation as revolutionary acts. It highlights the strong ensemble and thoughtful exploration of patriarchal constraints. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/women-talking-rooney-mara-claire-foy-jessie-buckley-sarah-polley-telluride-1235206807/) - **The New York Times** (Critic's Pick): The critic praises Sarah Polley's adaptation as a timely political parable featuring a stellar ensemble cast. The film compels viewers to think about the women's plight while inviting enjoyment of their company and conversations. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/22/movies/women-talking-review.html) - **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★★★☆): Polley’s bold adaptation of the real-life atrocity is buoyed by a knockout cast including commanding turns from Foy, Mara and Buckley. The heavy material is handled with sensitivity, focusing on debate rather than graphic violence. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/women-talking-review-the-heavy-material-is-buoyed-by-a-knockout-cast-3ddmgnc59) - **Variety**, Peter Debruge: The review describes Polley's film as a tough, uncompromising drama that assembles trauma survivors in a hayloft for urgent discussion, marking it as unlike any other film. It notes the powerful act of nonviolent protest but is a festival capsule from Telluride. [Read](https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/women-talking-review-sarah-polley-1235357980/) - **Collider**, Ross Bonaime (A-): Polley crafts a mesmerizing and haunting adaptation focused on a group of women deciding their response to abuse in their community. The critic praises the exceptional ensemble cast, especially Claire Foy, and the restrained score as highlights of one of the year's best films. [Read](https://collider.com/women-talking-review-sarah-polley-rooney-mara-claire-foy-jessie-buckley/) - **/Film**, Sarah Milner (9/10): The critic praises the film as an empowering testament to female resilience and collective decision-making in the face of trauma. They single out the strong ensemble performances, particularly those of Claire Foy and Jessie Buckley, for bringing depth to the dialogue-heavy story. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1009273/women-talking-review-empowering-survivors-to-take-back-their-lives-tiff/) - **The Playlist**, Gregory Ellwood (B+): The critic highlights the stellar ensemble cast led by Jessie Buckley and notes how Polley keeps the talky, confined drama engaging through strong performances and occasional cinematic flourishes. They single out Ben Whishaw's supporting turn as a standout amid the dense thematic discussions. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/women-talking-review-jessie-buckley-stellar-cast-telluride-20220903/) - **The Skinny**, Leeza Isaeva (★★★★): The critic praises the exquisite performances from the stellar ensemble cast, particularly Jessie Buckley’s tightly coiled restraint and Claire Foy’s bone-deep rage, and highlights Polley’s empathetic filmmaking that allows the film to ask complex questions about sexual violence and tolerance. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/lff-2022-women-talking) - **Deadline**, Todd McCarthy: The critic praises Sarah Polley’s immaculately made, intellectually adventurous and politically incisive drama about women in a secluded religious community debating their future after trauma. He highlights the superb female ensemble and the film’s beguiling, elusive tone that blends the frisky with the dead serious. [Read](https://deadline.com/2022/09/women-talking-telluride-review-rooney-mara-and-superb-female-ensemble-in-sarah-polleys-powerful-drama-1235107848/) ## Details - **Director:** Sarah Polley - **Director:** Sarah Polley - **Screenplay:** Sarah Polley - **Novel:** Miriam Toews - **Cinematography:** Luc Montpellier - **Editor:** Christopher Donaldson, Roslyn Kalloo - **Music:** Hildur Guðnadóttir - **Production design:** Peter Cosco - **Costume design:** Quita Alfred - **Producer:** Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Frances McDormand - **Cast:** Rooney Mara as Ona; Claire Foy as Salome; Jessie Buckley as Mariche; Judith Ivey as Agata; Ben Whishaw as August; Sheila McCarthy as Greta; Kate Hallett as Autje; Michelle McLeod as Mejal - **Runtime:** 1h 44m - **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13 - **Release (the US):** 20 January 2023 - **Genres:** Drama - **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 2022) - **Budget:** $20 million - **Box office:** $8 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH7Sl2h_aHs ## Where to watch in the US - Amazon Prime Video: streaming, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $19.99, uhd *Checked 2026-09-10.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, HK, HR, HU, IE, IN, IT, JP, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, TH, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 2023: Best Picture (nominated); Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (won) ## If you liked this - *12 Angry Men* (1957), Fi1m 91: One room, one vote, and a verdict that changes as the arguing goes on. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/12-angry-men.md) - *Mustang* (2015), Fi1m 84: Five sisters locked in a Turkish house decide, together, that they will not stay. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/mustang.md) - *Stories We Tell* (2012), Fi1m 77: Polley interrogates her own family on camera, and lets the contradictions stand. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/stories-we-tell.md) - *The Magdalene Sisters* (2002): Irish women held by the church, and the small ways they keep hold of themselves. - *Babette's Feast* (1987), Fi1m 86: A stern religious village, a woman from outside, and a gentler argument about grace. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/babettes-feast.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/women-talking