3 months ago
32
Describing the plot of Emilia Pérez is a very difficult undertaking. It centres around a disgruntled Mexican defence attorney Rita, played by Zoe Saldaña. Rita seeks an end to the litany of litigations she’s a part of that see guilty people go free. Her skills in the courtroom gain the attention of a cartel leader who enlists her assistance in obtaining gender-affirming surgery. Rita is offered enough money to live out her days free from the shackles of a corrupt legal system.
That describes the first 15 minutes of Emilia Pérez, but what follows after such a set up is an unprecedented and dizzying tale. Taking on the job is just the first part of Rita’s journey, one that’s helped along by some of the strangest musical numbers ever put to film. The scene in which Rita investigates the procedures necessary for her new employer’s operation is particularly hard to watch, yet impossible to look away from.
At a certain level, it’s a delightful camp, but without the requisite charm. Many of the musical scenes fit appropriately in the category of cringe, making the viewer feel a level of discomfort typically reserved for horror thrillers.
The spectacle of Emilia Pérez isn’t just in the musical numbers. The characters are wall to wall difficult to relate to, behaving in a manner that feels completely alien. Emilia in particular, with a new body and a new name has moments of shame, wanting to make amends for her past life of crime. It’s only slightly undercut by her insistence on being a disruptive force of nature in her family’s life, causing trouble for her former spouse turned unwitting captor Jessi, played by Selena Gomez.
Both the film and the character Emilia Pérez have few redeeming qualities. The movie’s approach to detailing the criminal element of Mexico is vague and the exploration of the transgender experience feels inauthentic. Emilia Pérez comes across as the under researched best guess of how a tumultuous story like this would play out. None of it rings true, with the movie becoming more frustrating as it goes on.
As bewildering as it can be, I will admit its scenes will stick. The performances, the dialogue, the sheer audacity of the whole picture is without a doubt transfixing, and not likely to be forgotten, whether you like it or not. Emilia Pérez is a film about trauma that makes its message known by traumatising its viewers.
Rating: Catch It On Cable.
Damian Levy is a film critic and podcaster for Damian Michael Movies
English (US) ·