Jacques Audiard has a unique style in filmmaking. Each of his movies is different from the last. For example, he made a remarkable crime drama with A Prophet, a Western dramedy with The Sisters Brothers, and a fresh romantic drama with Rust and Bone. Audiard always makes sure his films are distinct and new.
His latest film, Emilia Pérez, is perhaps his most ambitious yet. It is a musical drug cartel drama with a story about transgender affirmation, all mixed with a melodramatic telenovela style. While Audiard is known for his daring choices, Emilia Pérez might be trying to do too much at once, even though it features strong performances by three lead actresses.
What Is Emilia Pérez About?
Rita (Zoe Saldaña) works as a lawyer in a big law firm but doesn’t get much recognition. One day, she receives a mysterious phone call, gets kidnapped, and meets Juan “Manitas” Del Monte (Karla Sofia Gascón), a Mexican cartel leader.
Manitas wants to leave the country and get sex reassignment surgery, a wish they’ve had since childhood. Manitas asks Rita to find the best place for this surgery and to set up Manitas’ wife, Jessi Del Monte (Selena Gomez), and their children for life without him.
Even after Rita helps Manitas transition into Emilia Pérez (also played by Gascón) and move Jessi’s family to Switzerland, Rita, Emilia, and Jessi become linked in unexpected ways.
Audiard focuses on these three fantastic female performances, each bold and surprising in its own way. Saldaña’s portrayal is free and lively, especially in the larger musical numbers.
Her opening performance sets the stage for the film’s style shifts, and her energetic songs let her fully embrace Audiard’s vision. Saldaña has many chances to shine in this role, showing a playful side that we haven’t seen from her before.
Selena Gomez’s role as Jessi is also notable, giving her one of her most mature performances. Jessi starts as Manitas’ wife, then mourns him, changes her situation, and possibly falls for another man with a questionable background (Édgar Ramírez as Gustavo Brun). Gomez may not get as much focus as the other two actresses, but she makes the most of her role when she is featured.
Karla Sofia Gascón delivers a standout performance as Emilia Pérez. Gascón’s portrayal of the character is powerful and nuanced. As Manitas, Gascón is a commanding figure. When Manitas becomes Emilia Pérez, Gascón continues to bring strength and depth to the role.
Despite Emilia Pérez’s melodramatic elements, Gascón grounds the character with authenticity. Her interactions with her children add a touching emotional core to the film, making it both real and moving. Gascón’s performance is likely to be remembered as one of the best of the year.
Emilia Pérez Might Be Too Ambitious For Its Own Good
The film’s many ideas can sometimes feel overwhelming. Emilia Pérez is the first film Audiard has written by himself, originally conceived as a four-act opera libretto and loosely based on the 2018 novel Écoute by Boris Razon. The film’s narrative shifts rapidly, evolving into different styles and genres every 15 minutes.
This ambitious approach makes the film feel like a mix of various genres that never fully comes together. While Audiard’s creativity is admirable, it can make the film seem like a genre experiment rather than a cohesive story.
The musical elements of the film are affected by this ambition. There are long stretches without songs, making the musical aspect feel almost forgotten. When songs do appear, they often start and stop abruptly without leaving a strong impact.
The musical numbers by Camille and the score by Clément Ducol are not always memorable. There are some standout moments, like the emotional song “Papa,” but the musical side of Emilia Pérez does not meet the film’s ambitious goals.
Despite this, Emilia Pérez showcases Audiard’s talent and his ability to draw remarkable performances from actors. His track record includes successes with Tahar Rahim, Marion Cotillard, and Antonythasan Jesuthasan, and he continues this trend with Saldaña, Gomez, and Gascón.
However, the film’s attempt to blend many styles and ideas does not always fit together well. Emilia Pérez is a bold effort, but its many elements do not always combine as effectively as they could. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and will be available for streaming on Netflix in the U.S. starting November 13.
