Whilst I did quite enjoy this, I am struggling to see what all the fuss is about. Emilia Jones is "Ruby", a talented young singer who is keen to attend music college. Her family live in a maritime town where the local fishermen are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet. When her father's business looks doomed, she has to choose between staying at home or fulfilling her dream. What makes the film interesting is that she is the only one in her family who can hear. Her parents (Troy Kotsur and Marlee Matlin) as well as her brother "Leo" (Daniel Durant) are all deaf. Whilst that certainly adds an extra dimension to the narrative, the story itself is really nothing much to write home about. Their deafness is in no way the cause of the family woes, and much of the narrative is taken up with this family struggling to survive the decline of their livelihood, whilst she has boyfriend issues and her demanding music teacher (Eugenio Derbez) is constantly challenging to do her best. It does feature an haunting version of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" and, on occasion, we are presented with an audio appreciation from her family's perspective which does resonate well, giving us an inkling of how sounds sound (or not) to people who are deaf. It is a fine looking production, is enjoyable to watch and the dynamic between the parents and their daughter is frequently amusing and touching. It ought to raise awareness, but as a piece of cinema is nothing particularly special.
