‘Speak.’ Review: A Rousing Documentary About Five Teenagers Vying to Win an Oratory Competition
Directed by Jennifer Tiexiera and Guy Mossman, “Speak.” is the type of documentary one can easily imagine being adapted into a dramatic feature down the road. It has a linear and easily digestible narrative, vivid and empathetic protagonists and a format that unspools like a sports film, depicting the triumph and disappointment of competition. Following a year in the life of five American teenagers as they prepare and perform to win a national oratory contest, “Speak.” is so rousing and audience-friendly, it plays like the nonfiction equivalent of “Bend It Like Beckham” or “A League of Their Own.”
The five orators are juniors and seniors in high schools across several U.S. states. The child of a pastor of Nigerian heritage, Esther has already won this national competition twice. Noor, who’s from Texas, is sweetly falling in love while taking care of her special needs brother. Sam is a queer kid in Minnesota who designated himself as “fierce” while trying to live openly in a place that might not be ready to fully accept him. Noah has autism and is grieving his mother’s recent death by suicide. And finally, the charismatic Mfaz is a TikTok-er with a huge following who’s faithful to her Sudanese Muslim heritage and wears hijab while making videos that make fun of silly high school customs.
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As the audience gets to know these kids, they find out how passionate they are about the state of the world. Each is articulate, of course, which is the skill most needed for them to succeed in this endeavor. The topics they choose to write about are political and social hot-button issues. They call out religious and political leaders on their bad-faith positions and on their reverence for a world long gone whose mores and rules do not fit their progressive ideals.
The contestants bring their experiences into their oration, discussing the right of people to choose when and how to die and how society constantly uses humiliation as a tactic for complacency. Their coaches and teachers talk of them as change leaders who will make the future better for everyone. The filmmakers capture them in a straightforward and unobstructive way that quickly makes the audience believers in what these kids are preaching — even if all sounds too idealistic and optimistic.
The drama of the narrative comes from the stress of competition. These teenagers are hard workers above all. They are shown practicing over and over to perfect their speeches. Even if they are divided by geography, they’re aware of one another, since they keep meeting at the same contests. These five are not friendly, but they respect each other’s talent.
More context is given to their stories as the films show them with their families and coaches, offering a few snippets of joyful teenage lives with friends, siblings and romantic crushes. The stress of this taxing competition is not avoided by the filmmakers. Tough conversations happen, as not everyone can win, the toll of which is also shown. Still, “Speak.” mostly wants to show the positive side: tears of joy from a proud coach, hugs and kisses from mothers, the gratification that comes from knowing how excellent these kids are at what they do.
Relying on conventional methods, “Speak.” is not an especially innovative addition to the documentary field, but it knows exactly how to showcase its protagonists and stir empathy for them. Tiexiera and Mossman make their narrative propulsive, playing like a real race whose outcome is unknown. Thus, viewers find themselves invested in it, getting to know — and vicariously encourage — the protagonists. Some might even develop biases and favorites. Meanwhile, the filmmakers remain balanced, at least in the time given to each of the five contestants. Throughout the film, snippets of the speeches are shown. At the climactic moments, a few are given time to really land and tell their full message. By then, the audience might want to stand and cheer.
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