Review: 'Emilia Pérez' is an unmissable movie event
Fasten your seatbelts for something original and outrageous that will grab you and won't let go.
"Emilia Pérez," now in theaters in advance of its Netflix debut on Nov. 13, is an unmissable movie event with cascading, sometimes violent passions that can also be as intimate as a whisper. It's in Spanish with English subtitles. And, oh yeah, it's a musical. Love or hate this wild thing, you've never seen anything like it in your life.
In a captivating performance that will be talked about for years, trans actress Karla Sofia Gascón plays Emilia. But not right away. First we meet her as scary cartel kingpin Juan "Manitas" Del Monte, a growling, bearded monster with a mouthful of gold teeth who terrorizes Mexico City.
But Manitas has a secret. Unbeknownst to wife Jessi (a dynamite Selena Gomez) and their two little boys, Manitas has spent two years in secret undergoing hormone therapy in preparation for gender-affirming surgery. The surgery will make her unrecognizable to her enemies, but self-fulfilling to the woman she has always felt she should be.
It's notable that the film integrates some of Gascon's real-life experiences before and after her transition that result in a dual performance of extraordinary power and artistry.
Later, Manitas turns for help to Rita, a lawyer played with grit and grace by "Avatar" star Zoe Saldaña. It's Rita who must stage the death of this crime boss, arrange for the surgery and eventually reconnect with her as Emilia, Manitas' alleged distant cousin who offers comfort and luxury living for Jessi and the kids, but can't stop parental emotions from pushing through.
It's a hell of a story, part sudsy telenovela and part delicate human drama with discovery and danger always lurking on the sidelines. "Emilia Pérez" is the best movie yet from acclaimed French director Jacques Audiard ("A Prophet," "Rust and Bone"), whose loose adaptation of Boris Razon's 2018 novel "Écoute" finds its own way into the full-to-bursting heart of the tale.
And the songs by French singer Camille and the score by her partner Clement Ducol touch on genres from opera to punk and rap, elevating the story to soaring emotional heights. The academy should pay best song attention to "El Mal," sensationally sung and danced by Saldaña, and "El Camino," a showstopper for Gomez.
The plot thickens when Jessi takes up with new lover Gustavo (the reliably excellent Édgar Ramírez), and Emilia begins to show real feelings for Jessi, who was treated as a prisoner during her marriage. Pop star Gomez is astounding in the role, so good that she deserves an Oscar nomination to bookend the Emmy nod she recently received for "Only Murders in the Building."
Saldaña, best known for the sci-fi pow of "Avatar" and the "Avengers" franchise, is a revelation. She's never had the chance to dig into a performing challenge of such startling depth and complexity. It's the role of her career, and she rides it to glory.
All the actors shine on their highest beams, including Adriana Paz as Emilia's new love. Gascon, Saldaña, Gomez and Paz deservedly shared the best actress prize at the Cannes Film Festival, and each is so indelible you can't imagine the film without them.
The actors never miss a beat or a nuance as Emilia seeks a hard-won personal redemption and Audiard slides the plot into tragedy. There are inevitable bumps along the way, given the demanding mix of tones that dares audiences to keep up. My advice? Hang on.
Audiard's brilliantly conceived and executed film moves from one highlight to another, erasing the line between singing, dancing and acting, fusing them into something that keeps the movie blazing. "Emilia Pérez" means to shake you and does it ever. This you don't want to miss.
