Jacques Audiard’s latest is an “award-worthy masterpiece” and “one of the best films of the year” Kevin Bourne says in his Emilia Pérez film review.
One of the films you should be hearing more about this award season is Emilia Pérez which recently screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. Starring Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, and Selena Gomez, and directed by Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez is about a Mexico City defense lawyer named Rita Moro Castro (Saldaña) whose life is turned upside down when a feared cartel boss named Manitas Del Monte (Gascón) looks to hire her (and pay her handsomely) for a special mission—to help him disappear and transition into the woman he was born to be. Talk about a plot twist. Years later, the woman now known as Emilia Pérez reaches out to Rita for one final mission.
Right off the bat, this is a crime/gangster movie like we’ve never seen before. In a world full of big cookie cutter blockbuster films and endless franchise reboots, new, original, and outside-the-box stories are at a premium. This film is one of them ones.
Adding to the uniqueness of this film is that it’s a musical; well a pop opera to be exact, with vocals, Rock, Pop and Reggaeton production, and dance choreography to go with it.
With their performances on this film, expect Zoe Saldaña and Karla Sofía Gascón to be in conversations for all the actress awards possible. Saldaña juggles acting, dancing, singing, and even rapping masterfully. Her execution of the choreography is clean and effortless, with the film doing a good job of highlighting her overall talents as a performer. Who knew she could float on a beat? Meanwhile, Gascón’s portrayal of Manitas Del Monte, both as the menacing crime boss and then mother and leader to her community, are chilling and gripping. So much so that she became the first trans woman to be presented the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Gomez also shines in a supporting role as Manitas’ emotionally distraught wife and kind of widow who is forced to rebound and find love again, all while taking care of her children as a single mother.
Emilia Peréz is art, theatre, narco thriller, and social commentary, all wrapped up into one. It’s an award-worthy masterpiece and easily one of the best films of the year.
Kevin Bourne is SHIFTER’s Toronto-based editor and Senior Entertainment Reporter focusing on Black music and film & TV. He was named one of 300 international voters for the 81st and 82nd Golden Globe Awards by the Golden Globe Foundation and a Tomatometer-Approved Critic by Rotten Tomatoes.
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