Emilia Pérez Review: Jacques Audiard Challenges the Boundaries of the Genre | Cannes 2024
Cast: Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez, Édgar Ramírez
Director: Jacques Audiard
Where We Saw It: At the Cannes Film Festival
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 4/5 (four stars)
Jacques Audiard with Emilia Pérez is a candidate to be the symbolic film of this Cannes 2024 or at least the work capable of bringing everyone into agreement, audiences, and critics, who have rarely been divided as in this edition regarding the result obtained also from the most prestigious and eagerly awaited directors on the Croisette this year. This mix of musical, melodrama, and Narco movies crossed by the theme of the LGBT community is without a doubt a wonderful surprise. Emilia Pérez by Jacques Audiard, a name now familiar to those who carefully follow the Cannes Film Festival, stands out for its audacity and originality. In a cinematographic panorama, even a festival one, which is often too homologated, the French director challenges conventions by skillfully mixing genres and languages, creating a work that captures attention from the first scenes. With a talented cast led by Karla Sofía Gascón and Zoe Saldana, the film explores profound themes such as identity and redemption, offering a provocative look at the challenges of contemporary society.
As we will see in this review by Emilia Pérez, this new work by Audiard, already Palme d’Or in 2015 with Dheepan, is thus an exciting addition to a unique filmography, confirming him once again as one of the most respected and courageous directors of contemporary auteur cinema. First of all, after about a quarter of an hour from the beginning of the film, when it seems now established that the protagonist is a Mexican lawyer (Zoe Saldana) who hates but has to defend criminals to bring home a salary, here that there is a change of protagonist. The lawyer is contacted by a dangerous drug trafficker ready to cover her with gold if she helps him with a very secret mission. Saying which one it is would ruin the vision. What is certain is that from there the film takes an unexpected turn. She won’t be the only one.
Emilia Pérez Review: The Story Plot
Emilia Pérez introduces us to Rita Castro (Zoe Saldana), the legal assistant of a prestigious Mexican lawyer, whose life is stingy with satisfaction. She is underpaid, without a sentimental and social life, she is looking for an opportunity for redemption. She appears in the guise of the feared Juan Del Monte (Karla Sofía Gascón), a feared drug boss. The surprise, however, comes when Juan offers Rita a fortune, as long as she helps him find someone who can help him complete his transition from man to woman, and secure his family in Switzerland, formed by his wife Jessi (Selena Gomez) and two children. They will never know that Juan has changed sex and has made a new life elsewhere, they will be made to believe that he is dead, and Rita will have a fortune with which she will change her life. However, Emilia Pérez, this is the new identity of the boss, turns up again after a few years with Rita, asking her to help her reconnect with her family, obviously in different guises and without revealing her previous identity.
From that moment on, however, everything will change, she will see Mexico differently, where her past will torment her but will result in pushing her towards a redemption that is both radical and has unpredictable consequences. Emilia Pérez bears the signature of Jacques Audiard, also the author of the screenplay, who creates an atypical musical, a hybrid work, dominated by Zoe Saldana in great form. The former Guardian of the Galaxy dances and sings, but above all, she is our guide into a world in which the concept of transformation is the true, great, dominant theme of a film that can be sometimes tender and other times scary, which wrings the watch out for melodrama or even more so for the telenovelas she comes from: Karla Sofía Gascón. Star of the small screen and Spanish telenovelas, she is the other star of a film where it is difficult to decide which of the two is better, but one thing is certain: Emilia Pérez is very particular, she manages to combine civil narration with comedy, and at the net of some forcing in the screenplay, it also knows how to be romantic without falling into an excess of sentimentality.
Emilia Pérez Review and Analysis
However, Emilia Pérez tackles in an absolutely clear way the drama of the Mexican Desaparecidos, of those who for one reason or another ended up in mass graves or disappeared completely in the war of the drug cartels, those who for decades have made Mexico a gigantic carnage. More similar to a sometimes-dark fairy tale than a film to be taken completely seriously, Emilia Pérez works very well as a universal drama, it tells us about a person who feels halfway between two worlds, two identities, understood not only as that gender, but as his very essence as a human being. Her hands are stained with blood, and the change he seeks in her will lead her to also be able to distance herself from everything that made her an instrument of death. In all this, Selena Gomez plays the role of symbol of a Latin female identity still dominated by the man, not emancipated, who is looking for a new master to submit to, played here by Edgar Ramirez. Damien Jalet’s dance choreography is wonderful, and Clément Ducol’s music and Camille’s songs are good.
Emilia Pérez is almost entirely performed in Spanish and knows how to be both transversal and in more than one unique moment in how she portrays her characters. Net of an ending that could appear hasty and simplistic if desired, however, it is above all far from the comfort and rhetorical conclusions that Hollywood likes so much. Filmed perfectly, and also featuring beautiful photography, it will certainly take home something from Cannes 2024, of which it represents, as far as the Official Competition is concerned, the sharpest in terms of audacity and energy, or any case the cinematographic moment with the greatest impact for the critics and the public, who up until now have perhaps remained a little dry-mouthed. Another interesting element is how, within cinematography where minorities, in the most universal sense, are theoretically great protagonists, this film manages to bring new food for thought. Above all, it gives us a new representation of someone who has never felt in her life inside a body fitting with her own identity. The miracle of Emilia Pérez is that she carries all this with sensitivity, imagination, and sympathy.
Audiard’s audacity in dealing with a wide range of complex and sensitive themes in the film adds a significant level of difficulty to its making. In itself, addressing issues such as gender identity, personal redemption, and social violence requires considerable narrative sensitivity and depth. However, Audiard goes further, introducing the musical element and an explosive mix of cinematic genres, which further amplify the complexity of the narrative. The inclusion of musical scenes adds a new emotional and symbolic layer to the film, allowing the characters to express their deepest feelings through music and choreography. However, organically integrating the musical sequences with the main plot requires a delicate balance and perfect synchronization, which can be a challenge for any director. Even more so for those who, like Audiard, are not musical veterans.
The smooth transition between these different styles and atmospheres can be difficult to achieve coherently and convincingly, especially when dealing with such complex topics that would require depth and depth. So, if it is true that Audiard’s decision to combine all these risky elements in a single film highlights his artistic ambition and his desire to challenge the limits of conventional cinema, it is equally right to point out how this choice can lead to moments of instability and confusion. Also, not all the musical numbers live up to expectations: some songs and choreographic numbers, instead of enriching the narrative, seem to interrupt the flow of the film and divert attention from the main plot. This imbalance can disorientate the viewer and compromise immersion in the cinematic experience, taking away some of the cohesion and emotional impact that the film might otherwise offer.
Amid this mix of themes and genres, the performances of Karla Sofía Gascón and Zoe Saldana emerge, bringing the characters of Emilia and Rita to life on the screen, respectively. Gascón delivers a masterful performance as Emilia, bringing out the emotional and vulnerable side of the character with surprising depth and authenticity. The touching scene of the song with her son is one of the most intense and moving moments of the film. On the other hand, Saldana brings a deep intensity to the character of Rita, surprising viewers with her singing and dancing skills, which add a level of complexity and dynamism to her character. Her courageous and charismatic performance helps create a powerful emotional connection with the audience, conveying the character’s determination and passion. The performances of Selena Gomez and Édgar Ramírez, although more secondary, add further nuance to the story. In particular, Gomez brings vulnerability and strength to the character of Jessi, adding depth to Emilia’s family history.
Exploring such a wide range of cinematic themes and genres, Emilia Pérez becomes an eclectic journey through uncharted territories. Each scene offers a new surprise, a new emotion to discover. We find ourselves catapulted into a world of crime drama, musicals, and family drama, cleverly mixing tension, emotion, and reflection. Every moment pushes us beyond the boundaries of traditional cinema, leaving us with the feeling of having experienced something eccentric, but also equally memorable. Which won’t be easy to replicate. The most interesting aspect of Emilia Pérez is that this moral transition is also dramaturgical and coincides with the fluidity of the film genre itself, which passes from musical to drama and then to thriller, then back to the musical and finally to tragedy, with an ‘admirable audacity. A mercurial filmmaker like few others, Audiard demonstrates that he is not afraid of popular cinema, nor of being accused of trivializing the violent reality of Mexico.
This is not about singing well, but about singing feelings. Emilia is, in fact, also a tragic heroine, she cannot go unpunished for all the evil that Manitas has done. The mistake, not considered in the impetus of wanting to change, is the desire to distance herself from Manitas’ life, but to keep close to her the only good thing she has done: his children. Karla Sofía Gascón shines in her double role as prince of narcos and epiphanic benefactor of the relatives of the disappeared whom he ordered to be buried in mass graves. Emilia Pérez is a film about the voice that sings about life and, similarly to what Damien Chazelle experimented with in the magnificent La La Land, Audiard is interested in capturing the truth of this voice in everyday life, not in vocalizations, in perfect performances, as in the emotion of words and feelings.
In an era of films based on algorithms or often, when authorial, rarely able to break the mold, Audiard’s work represents a fresh breath of air. Songs and choreographies fit very well into the plot, the drama leaves room for lighter moments, and the suspense remains always present even when everything seems to start on the reassuring notes of existential comedy. The dramaturgical part is weaker. Some details are a bit left out (would a person whose wealth you don’t understand the origin of his wealth be interviewed by TV? How long does it take to change oneself? Is a radical “change of identity” enough? Despite everything we are talking about a big thread, Audiard presented Emilia Perez at the Cannes Film Festival. Here you won the Palme d’Or in 2015 with Deephan – A New Life. Even in that case, there was the protagonist’s name in the title, and even then, at the center, there was a person who wanted to leave the past behind. Who knows if it isn’t a good omen for him? Emilia Perez is a film that can win.
Emilia Pérez Review: The Last words
Audiard’s film certainly does not leave one indifferent, both for its originality and for how certain themes are treated. The director takes many risks, which largely pay off, knowing full well that the final result will not please everyone. But with two powerful and emotional central performances, and direction with great personality, Emilia Perez is certainly recommended viewing for anyone looking for something different in the current cinematic landscape. Jaques Audiard aims straight for the Palmarès with a musical of Mexican vitality, of transitions that open the horizon but leave shadows, in which one sings to exist but also to die.
Emilia Pérez Review: Jacques Audiard Challenges the Boundaries of the Genre | Cannes 2024 - Filmyhype
Director: Jacques Audiard
Date Created: 2024-05-21 18:15
4
Pros
- Jacques Audiard demonstrates great ability to mix different genres in an innovative way.
- Karla Sofía Gascón and Zoe Saldana deliver powerful and engaging performances.
- The film addresses themes of identity and transformation in a profound and original way.
- The cinematography and soundtrack create a rich and engaging atmosphere...
Cons
- ...although not every musical track leaves a lasting impression.
- The mix of genres can be confusing and not very cohesive.
- Some changes in tone are not handled flawlessly.
