2024 Movie
Dir. Jacques Audiard · Belgium, France · English, French
Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez return to their roots in this multinational crime musical drama
The journey of transitioning can be tough, but it’s not likely to be as wild as the journey undertaken by the titular rich mob boss of the crime thriller romance musical Emilia Pérez. It’s pretty surprising, with the incredibly stylish and totally unpredictable ways the plot unfolds, all made possible by the ridiculous all-or-nothing methods and means of a Mexican mob, and it’s a delight to see Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez feel at home in their respective Spanish-speaking roles. There are certain moments where the film bites off more than it can chew, but the visuals are stunning, the story is daring, and there’s really nothing like Emilia Pérez right now.
Rita, an underrated lawyer working for a large law firm more interested in getting criminals out of jail than bringing them to justice, is hired by the leader of a criminal organization.
"I was disarmed from the start by Audiard’s quasi-Almodóvarian vibes, his touchingly imperfect embrace of song-and-dance stylization, and, most of all, his three leads."
— Justin Chang
"This is bold, ambitious and risky filmmaking. Just don’t expect it all to land."
— Sophia Satchell Baeza
Stuck in a dead-end job, unappreciated lawyer Rita Mora Castro has the opportunity of a lifetime when a fearsome cartel leader hires her to stage their death and live a new life as Emilia Perez.
The musical numbers. The film goes in and out of them without seamless transitions, so there are some songs that feel a tad nonsensical, but there are some that totally work with the story at hand.
Finally a role where Zoe Saldana isn’t blue or green!
Other
1 nom
Isabella Endrinal is a curator at A Good Movie to Watch. She's now free from the corporate night shift. Previous articles have been published in outlets such as NANG Magazine. She's currently catching up on some classic films… if she isn't coping with the fact that the Haikyu anime will end soon.
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