I grew up in the 90s, and Marlee Matlin was on television all the time. I saw her in dramas, comedies, in films, and of course, there was the closed captioning option on my TV. What I didn’t know was that she was a huge advocate and a component in having a federal law passed to make closed captioning available on people’s televisions and the first (and for many years, only) deaf performer to win an Oscar.
The documentary is set to release this year, opening in Chicago, her hometown (and mine), on July 11th. The synopsis:
Actress Marlee Matlin reflects on her life, career, and what it means to be a “trailblazer.” In 1987, Matlin broke barriers with her riveting performance in CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD, and at 21, became the first deaf actor to win an Academy Award. Through archival footage and intimate conversations with deaf director Shoshannah Stern, Matlin opens up about her struggles with addiction, her feelings of isolation within the film industry, and the importance of community. A deeply personal portrait, MARLEE MATLIN: NOT ALONE ANYMORE is more than just a tribute; it’s a triumph.
I was able to get an early screener and I was so glad I did. Not only is it one of the better documentaries on a person’s life, it sheds light on several important topics:
-to learn about the deaf community, and
– to understand the importance of being seen, something that has been of a topic as BIPOC issues rise in workplaces let alone on screen.
I don’t know many people who are deaf or hard of hearing. So in the beginning of the documentary, they first go into Marlee winning her Oscar for her first real movie role in CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD. She is asked about one reviewer who comments on her scene in a pool which she chuckles and says,
“Whoever wrote this obviously was not in the know about our culture and language, ‘Being lost in her own silent world.’”
I have not seen the film but in the brief moments we see the scene, I liked the wording of the reviewer and I wondered why she said that. Then she continues,
“I am very loud. And within myself, my mind is never silent. Never.” ~ Marlee
This provided me more insight for a deaf person: Marlee as a person and as her character, was not being quiet in that scene in the pool by herself. She may have been deep in thought but for a deaf person, that does not mean being silent. The reviewer misunderstood her performance.
In another example, they discuss how in CODA, her co-star and would-be fellow Oscar winner, Troy Kotsur and Marlee improvised about what to have for dinner while they were supposed to watch a school concert. I wondered what the big deal was. But then Troy and the documentary director, Shoshannah Stern, say this is a favorite scene for them because it is a common thing deaf people do. It was improvised, realistic, and proved that the film was geared towards a community often ignored.
Shoshannah, among other actors and deaf people express why seeing Marlee onscreen, winning her Oscar, playing a deaf person, meant the world to them, inspired them, and moved them to pursue their dreams of acting and being storytellers. It showed them, it was all possible.
The documentary is not long, but it touches on many milestones that Marlee has achieved. I was recommended her memoir, “I’ll Scream Later” and I wondered if they would get into it. Oh do they, and they hint to many other issues that came up with the release of the book. In her memoir, she admits about her drug addiction, recovery, as well as her being sexually assaulted as a child, once by a babysitter and once by a teacher. She also talks about her abusive two-year relationship with co-star, William Hurt, whom she met when she was 19 years old and he was 35. In short clips, they open the door to the important topics about how Marlee did all of this in 2009, long before any official Me Too Movement and that even reporters would concentrate on her sex life with her abusive, yet attractive boyfriend. Marlee explains that the whole reason why she wrote the book was because, as she saw her daughter grow up, she wanted her to know more about her mother and more importantly, to educate people, particularly the deaf community about what is abuse because she often found herself in abusive situations not realizing it is one. Shoshannah points out, Marlee and for many deaf people, not knowing the way to communicate and the terms for healthy and unhealthy relationships is a form of language deprivation. Now, Marlee’s book is one way to break this.
On top of all the hardships, we also meet her champions and cheerleaders. From her long-time interpreter, Jack Jason to her acting hero, Henry Winkler, who turned out to be a hero as a second father, brother, and friend. When she met him with her mother, Henry explained her mother was so worried for Marlee and begged him to discourage her dreams of being an actor, but he replied, “You got the wrong guy.” He kept encouraging her and even gave her a home for two years when she was homeless right after rehab, single, and guided her to find what she needed to do next. She even got married in his home.
The title of the documentary is revealed to come from her giving a speech during the 2022 Oscar’s press conference after CODA won best picture. She was the first deaf performer to win an Oscar 35 years prior. That evening, Troy joined her as the second deaf performer to win an Oscar and the whole cast and crew, many of whom were intentionally from the deaf community were rewarded with the Best Picuture Film, so she is not alone anymore.
But as I reflected on the documentary, she wasn’t alone in many ways. Physically, in her many interviews, she had her interpreter with her. Emotionally, she had a strong group of friends in and out of the deaf community. She wanted to do sitcoms? They encouraged her! She wanted to work with Aaron Sorkin? They helped track him down and got her a breakthrough role! She wants to direct? Who better than Marlee? Her support system continued to expose her to even more supportive people like her long-time husband.
Marlee broke barriers, literally changed laws, overcame abuse and addiction, and was, for lack of a better word (or for the best reason), a major voice for the deaf community. But she is not the only one. This documentary explains why.
Our rating:
