150 Word Review: 'Emilia Pérez' (2024)
¿De qué hablamos hoy y ahora?
French director Jacques Audiard's Emilia Pérez is firmly grounded in timely issues like Mexico's drug war and trans identity—yet it comes off like it was created by someone who has never been to Mexico or met a trans person. I don't think either is true.
This means his exploitative and sincere experimental musical lacks authenticity, which almost works in the movie's favor. Es una fantasia! It doesn’t help that the story sounds like a cynical corporate brainstorm: a Mexican lawyer is hired to help a fearsome drug lord transition into living as a woman.
But Emilia Pérez almost overcomes its flaws thanks to oddly intense, catchy Spanish-language songs. Once it gets going, the movie is a surprisingly entertaining political drama about self-actualization. Zoe Saldana can sing and dance, who knew? Selena Gomez glowers delicately. Emilia herself, played by trans woman Karla Sofia Gascón, is magnetic and charismatic—a real movie star.