"Coda" is a film that goes over the life of an eccentric family, which has only one hearing person, Ruby Rossi, while Leo (son), Frank (father), and Jackie (mother) are deaf. Because of their disability, they rely on Ruby to communicate with the external world and negotiate with people since they are fishermen.
Initially, Ruby has no academic ambitions but turns out she changes during high school senior year. A turning point in her life comes when she decides to sign up for school choir, even being a timid person. Owner of an impressive singing voice, Ruby is informed by her singing teacher, Mr. V, that she can go to university, and she begins dreaming of singing and applying for college. There's one problem though: who is going to take care of their family if she is not there?
Then, she finds herself torn between following her dream and abandoning her family.
So, as a coming-of-age story, there's this interesting aspect of the main character's life, this dual reality that includes loving so badly her family and building her own identity apart from them. Indeed those two layers are well explored through the movie, as Ruby faces familiar and academic conflicts for lacking the ability to conciliate both.
As for the cast, it's essential to point out the spectacular Emilia Jones performance. She perfectly fits the character, she's sweet, strong, authentic, and rather sensitive. For playing the role, the actress had to study sign language, and it's marvelous the way she appropriates this new ability to perfect her character.
Through the movie, there are a few scenes performed only with sign language, my favorite scene included. It happened at the harbor when Ruby and her brother were arguing about her going to college. At this point, what impressed me was the honesty and the truthness put by them, so it's a flawless and touching moment in the film in which Ruby has to reaffirm her will even loving her family.