Dir: Jacques Audiard
Studio: Why Not Productions, Pathé
Review by: Robbie Fleming
Zoe Saldana has achieved a lot in her career as an actress, including starring in some of the highest-grossing films of all time. Now, she steps away from Hollywood to work in the French crime musical Emilia Perez, with the film garnering awards-season buzz.
I made sure to check it out to see if it's truly award-worthy. Is it the best France has to offer this year? Well, let’s dive into the review as I bring you my thoughts on Emilia Perez.
Written and directed by Jacques Audiard and based on his opera libretto of the same name, Emilia Perez follows a Mexican cartel crime lord who enlists a lawyer (played by Zoe Saldana) to fake their death so they can escape a life of crime and start anew as a woman. Karla Sofía Gascón takes on the lead role as the titular character, with Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, Mark Ivanir, and Édgar Ramírez in supporting roles.
Emilia Perez premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and competed for the Palme d'Or. Although the film lost to Anora (which I also reviewed recently), Saldana, Gascón, Gomez, and Paz all won the Best Actress Award as an ensemble. The film has also been chosen as France’s submission for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars this year.
I’ll admit that the story started off a bit slow but became more engaging as it progressed. It's a bold choice to make a film with this premise, but I think it works well as a story and effectively uses the musical format. I also appreciate how it explores strong social themes, like gender transition and starting over from scratch.
The musical numbers are interesting and serve the story well. Although I'm not familiar with the opera it's based on, I was glad to see a diverse range of musical styles. The film being a musical adds a unique touch, as it's rare to see a crime film in this genre. I can see this becoming quite popular with musical fans.
Zoe Saldana gave the film's best performance, and while I imagine she'll be nominated for Supporting Actress, you could argue she's a co-lead since the story unfolds from her character's point of view. Karla Sofia Gascón gave a powerful performance in the lead role, while Selena Gomez stole the show whenever she appeared. I can see Saldana, Gascón, and Gomez receiving a lot of nominations at various award shows this year.
The directing was also fantastic, as the film has a strong artistic style. The cinematography captured some standout shots reminiscent of classic musicals. I also liked the editing, which smoothly transitions between the narrative and musical segments. Jacques Audiard did an excellent job of adapting it for the screen and making it as cinematic as possible.
Overall, Emilia Perez is a great film that shines thanks to its unique style, direction, story, musical numbers, and performances. I think it has the potential to win big on the awards circuit, and it genuinely deserves the praise it's receiving. I’m giving it a rating of 5/5 stars and a 10/10 for being an all-around excellent film, though I'm still undecided if it will make my top 10 of the year.
Emilia Perez is now available to stream on Netflix.
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