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The movie deals in an even-handed, unsensationalistic manner with the controversy surrounding cochlear implants, medical devices which allow deaf children to hear. The controversy comes from an unexpected quarter: the deaf community. A lot of deaf people oppose these gizmos because, they argue--and quite persuasively--they will rob children of their ability to relate to the "deaf culture" in which they were born.

It is strange to be introduced to a society that divides the human populace into the "hearing world" and the "deaf world," and this is what Sound & Fury does. We're allowed a look into a family ravaged by the cochlear controversy: a proud father, himself deaf from birth, refuses to allow his young hearing-impaired daughter to undergo the procedure, much to the outrage of his (hearing) relatives.

At the heart of Sound & Fury is a simple question: Is he right or wrong? Is it best to become "normal" or is it best to play with the cards you've been dealt? Is deafness a disability or a blessing in disguise? Before you answer, consider this: The procedure is not 100% effective, and the child is in danger of becoming stuck in the middle of the hearing/deaf continuum, rejected by both worlds.

The film is generally well made, though the voice-over actors who translate for the deaf participants often sound too melodramatic. Whether the film is truly fair to both sides is open to question; by the end the filmmakers seem to imply that the deaf community should embrace modern technology, and I understand that this suggestion has outraged many. But even with this in mind, Sound & Fury offers no final answer; it provokes debate but doesn't resolve it.

It's a compelling documentary that, simply by the novelty of its viewpoint, neatly avoids the talking-heads syndrome. Go see it.

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originally posted: 08/30/02 13:55:02
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