Writer/Director: Jacques Audiard
Starring: Zoe Saldana, Karla Sofia Gascon and Selena Gomez
‘A Magnificent Drama’
Not many actresses in Hollywood possess the charisma of Zoe Saldana. Ever since her rise to stardom in the 1990’s, Saldana has become a beloved icon in the film industry. Whether it’s comic-book heroines, drug dealers or powerful mothers, Saldana has played many interesting characters. Arguably, Saldana’s finest strength as an actress has often been her commitment to her craft. She is one of those rare actresses that has always poured her heart and soul into every role. Saldana has seldom been afraid of taking risks in her career by playing characters that aren’t often likeable. A celebrated actress with strong commitment to her craft, Saldana has become a cherished icon in entertainment. A one-of-a-kind actress, Saldana has attained massive success. Through her strong ability to create larger-than-life characters which prove compelling, Saldana has built a legacy that is lasting. Shining a light in darkness, the actress has become a beloved icon in the modern-day entertainment business. Throughout her strong career, Saldana has created many memorable movies which definitely without any doubts are worth talking about.
Now, Saldana is back on the big-screen and her strengths as an actress are evident in her latest movie “Emilia Perez”. Released in 2024, Saldana’s latest Oscar-nominated film offers a stirring tribute to the transgender community. Packed with breathtaking production-design, engaging storytelling and phenomenal acting, it’s one of the best films of 2024. At the centre of it all is a phenomenal performance by Zoe Saldana, who portrays a lawyer that becomes involved in an intense life of crime that causes a dilemma. Although “Emilia Perez” is a bold piece of art, ultimately is isn’t a flawless movie. It suffers from uneven pacing which tests the viewer’s patience. Nevertheless, it offers bold entertainment that fans of Zoe Saldana won’t be able to resist.
Set in Spain, “Emilia Perez” tells the story of a lawyer that becomes involved in a life of crime causing pain. Zoe Saldana plays Rita Castro, a female lawyer working for a large law firm. Rita has always been passionate about her jobs of bringing criminals to justice through using the legal system. However, Rita’s prosperous life is put in grave danger when she’s hired by a drug cartel leader. Manitas Del Monte (Karla Sofia Gascon) is a notorious cartel leader that seeks to change his gender. A transgender activist, Manitas seeks to become a woman. Seeking to fulfill the requests of the drug cartel leader, Rita embarks on a journey to change gender. As she discovers the harsh consequences of gender surgery, Rita questions whether it is possible to change her identity. Faced with a dilemma, Rita wonders whether she would ever be able to fulfill the requests of a gangster that causes trauma.
Jacques Audiard is a newcomer toward stories of transgender people. Before he had directed “Emilia Perez”, Audiard had never made a film about transgender people. It was the director’s first attempt to capture the barrier endured by transgender communities but he succeeded immensely. Through stunning cinematography, Audiard captures a lawyer embarking upon a journey to change a transgender drug dealer’s identity. Visually, the movie is a stunning feast for the eyes as breathtaking as identifies that Manitas seeks to idolize. Audiard successfully uses montage to convey hardship transgender people go through. Inspired by Saim Sadiq’s “Joyland”, Audiard uses engaging montages to capture a transgender person embarking on a journey of sexual transformation. For instance, montages enhance the doctor scene. During this unforgettable scene, Manitas confesses his desire to change his gender to a doctor in a sad manner. One appreciates montages which capture a unique point-of-view of transgender people. Montages are tricky techniques to use in movies. As Luca Guadagnino’s “Call Me By Your Name” demonstrated, montages elevate LGBTQ movies capturing queer lovers. Andrew Haigh’s “All Of Us Strangers” demonstrated, montages enhance films about grief. However, it works well in this film. Through breathtaking visuals, Audiard conveys frightening hardships that transgender communities are facing.
Another astonishing aspect of “Emilia Perez” that deserves appreciation is the production. From a technical perspective, the film is very well-made. Audiard stages stunning musical numbers capturing the struggles transgender individuals are facing. Inspired with Damien Chazelle’s “La La Land”, Audiard uses magical realism to stage memorable musical numbers. For instance, magical realism enhances the gender surgery scene. During this memorable scene, Rita discovers the consequences that come with gender change surgery through the advice of a doctor. One appreciates magical realism capturing the tension that transgender people are facing. Magical realism is a tricky technique to use in films. As Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” claimed, magical realism elevates remakes of classical musicals. That being said, it works immensely in this movie. Moreover, the musical score is magnificent. Camille’s music is integral towards success of the movie. It gives the movie an atmosphere capturing the heavy burden that transgender people bear. Through phenomenal production-design, Audiard captures the struggles faced by transgender artists whose unstable lives decline.
Storytelling is one of the reasons why “Emilia Perez” is a classic about transgender people which is compelling. The movie is beautifully written, and successfully uses sequences of silence to capture the hardships transgender individuals are facing. For instance, silence elevates the daughter bonding scene. During this heartbreaking scene, Manitas spends her time bonding with her daughter that tells her she reminds her of her father. One appreciates silence capturing the hardships transgender people are facing. Silence is a tricky technique to use in movies. Most musicals are driven by big song and dance scenes. As Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight” suggested, silence movies about queer black teenagers. Ang Lee’s “Brokeback Mountain” demonstrated that silence elevates movies about forbidden love. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this movie. Through a bold screenplay, Audiard captures gay communities facing a price to pay.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Zoe Saldana delivers one of her best career performances as Rita. Saldana first achieved appreciation playing strong feminist heroines in Marvel’s comic-book movies. With “Emilia Perez”, however, she took on her most complex role. It isn’t easy to portray a lawyer assisting a transgender woman but Saldana succeeds tremendously. This is the actress unlike you have ever seen her before: intense, charming and emotional in her most memorable role. With “Emilia Perez”, the actress showcased flair for singing melodies which she hadn’t shown before in her career. Ifs a role that gave the actress a chance to showcase musical talent she hasn’t shown before. With riveting expressions, she captures the angst, bravery and trauma of a lawyer that becomes involved in a life of crime causing a dilemma. It’s a bold performance from one of the finest actresses working today.
Karla Sofia Gascon is superb as a transgender woman that faces judgement for her decisions to alter gender. Drawing inspirations from her own experience as a transgender, Gascon crafted a compelling portrait of a trans woman facing disaster. As Emilia Perez Gascon uses her strong body language to create a trans-gender woman that’s compelling. Whether she’s yearning to be reunited with her long-lost children or regretting her decisions to become a woman, Gascon uses strong body language to capture transgender women facing tension. It’s a phenomenal performance from one of the most commemorated actresses working in Mexico today.
The final, most notable standout in the cast is Selena Gomez. As a woman caught in doomed romance with a transgender, the singer brings fierce energy to the movie.
Although “Emilia Perez” is a captivating music drama, it isn’t a flawless film. If there’s a minor drawback to the film, it lacks engaging pacing. Audiard’s decisions to integrate subplots about drug cartels into the movie is innovative but it doesn’t succeed. Due to this faulty decision, scenes focusing on a drug cartel aren’t quite as engaging as Manitas’ journey to change her identity. As Ridley Scott’s “The Counsellor” claimed, subplots about drug cartels elevate dark movies about drug trafficking. Therefore, “Emilia Perez” can’t quite capture the frightening hardship faced by transgender communities seeking to change their ways.
Nevertheless, fans of Zoe Saldana would enjoy “Emilia Perez” and so will movie-goers which seek exhilarating entertainment. A captivating classic about transgender communities, it honoured an actress that has created a bold legacy that’s iconic.
A captivating portrait of the terrifying hardships experienced by transgender people that change sexual identities with consequences that are frightening, it’s a riveting reminder of a commemorated actress that has built a lasting legacy earning a huge fan following for her abilities to portray larger-than-life women which are compelling in unforgettable movies which are definitely without a single doubt worth celebrating.
4.5/5 stars
The Film Buff 