In Gloucester, Massachusetts, teenager Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones) is torn between helping her deaf family manage their fishing business and maybe having a career as a singer.

A remake of the French film La Famille Bélier (2014) that’s a real crowd-pleaser. The story follows a familiar formula, but Sian Heder takes excellent care of it, delivering a warm and touching film that relied on Marlee Matlin’s experience and determination in the portrait of the deaf family.

Troy Kotsur and her are irresistible as the outspoken, frisky parents; Jones also put a lot of effort into crafting her performance as the talented teen.

2021-U.S. 111 min. Color. Written and directed by Sian Heder. Cast: Emilia Jones (Ruby Rossi), Eugenio Derbez (Bernardo Villalobos), Troy Kotsur (Frank Rossi), Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Daniel Durant, Marlee Matlin. 

Oscars: Best Picture, Supporting Actor (Kotsur), Adapted Screenplay. BAFTA: Best Supporting Actor (Kotsur), Adapted Screenplay.

Last word: “[Sign language teacher] Alexandria [Wailes] and I sat across the table from each other and went line by line through the script, and she would sign the line back to me. Then we discussed it. She would say, ‘Is this your intention?’ There are many ways to sign the same thing, just as there are many ways to write a line. I was getting inside the rhythms of ASL – understanding how a joke worked visually as opposed to with a spoken punch line.” (Heder, Decider)