DCP at Lincoln Center (NY premiere; NYFF)
Has a colorist ever been sued for malpractice? Unfortunately, this is the first question that comes to mind after seeing one of the best-acted films of the year.
But the color grade heard ‘round the world isn’t the only snag here. It’s hard not to compare it to 12 Angry Men, a film that shares a number of things with Women Talking: the one-room setting, the large cast, the general structure of argue and retreat, the obvious thematic similarities. What holds it all together is Lumet’s superb blocking which doesn’t appear to have been a consideration for Women Talking. At least within the frame—it basically plays out entirely in medium two shots, so the geography of the room and the relative distance between characters are completely unidentifiable. All tension dissolves when I can barely tell who someone is yelling at.
It speaks to the talent of the cast that I have this at three stars.