Emilia Pérez

It generally takes tremendous courage to stand up and proclaim that the Emperor is indeed naked, especially in the face of a crowd of willfully blind onlookers who contend otherwise. Nevertheless, there are times when this truly needs to be said in light of an inexplicably misguided view to the contrary. And that's certainly the case with the latest from often-overrated writer-director Jacques Audiard. This jumbled mess of a film can't make up its mind if it wants to be an edgy musical (given its forgettable songs and original score), a quasi-campy comedy (despite its palpable lack of bona fide humor but with a narrative that's admittedly frequently laughable), a crime thriller (one that feebly grows ever more pretentious, meandering, implausible and uncompelling with each passing frame) or a treatise on forgiveness and redemption that unapologetically drips with overwrought political correctness. In essence, this offering follows the exploits of Minitas (Karla Sofía Gascón), a Mexican drug cartel warlord who wants to undergo the transgender transition process to liberate the inner woman that has been inside him since birth, aided by a supposedly articulate and self-righteous lawyer (Zoe Saldaña) who hastily and seemingly thoughtlessly sells out with the promise of a financial windfall for her assistance. After undergoing the process, however, the newly emerged Emilia Pérez has regrets about her past, both in terms of her brutal "professional" behavior and the abandonment of her kids and shrewish, self-centered wife (a fine performance by Selena Gomez in one of the film's few praiseworthy assets). However, this change of heart, while modestly understandable, generally lacks believability. And, given the utterly reprehensible nature and baffling, head-scratchingly contradictory choices of all the principals, it's difficult to fathom how anyone would care a whit about any of them. That's especially true for the picture's lead, whose actions do little to generate any kind of meaningful empathy for transgender individuals and causes. And, through it all, the story is mystifyingly augmented with a slew of inconsistently timed, largely unremarkable musical production numbers that add precious little to the overall story (they could have been left out entirely and it would likely have made for a more compelling release). In sum, the finished product plays like a preposterously melodramatic Italian opera libretto mixed with elements from pictures like "Sicario" (2015) and any number of cheesy Mexican soap operas. How this cinematic morass has managed to garner as much attention as it has received is truly beyond me. That's especially true with the many undeserved accolades it has received, including 10 Golden Globe Award nominations (a virtually unheard-of number for any film in this awards competition), as well as honors from the Critics Choice Awards, the American Film Institute, and numerous film festivals, including the prestigious events in Cannes and Toronto. Indeed, don't be fooled into thinking that the blend of diverse elements here should be taken for inventive, inspired originality. But, more importantly, don't waste your time on this celluloid trash, despite how allegedly elegant the Emperor's outfits are said to be.

I am speechless... I'm guessing all the positive reviews are from people who a) don't speak Spanish and b) wanted their caricatures of Mexicans and trans people confirmed.

The dialogues are insufferable, no one speaks like that, the music is jarring, the accents (even though Zoe Saldana is clearly making a huge effort. Let's not even talk about Selena) are not good.

The bad words sprinkled thought the movie feel so unnatural, not only because of the delivery, but how they are used. This was clearly written by somebody with some vague knowledge of Mexican culture, but definitely not enough to make something good.

The only redeeming quality this movie has is that it's undoubtedly pretty. That's it.

Mexican people should avoid it at all costs.

As a Spanish native speaker i found this movie disrespectful and childish. The spanish speakers characters can barely pronounce two words, turning the whole script into an uncomfortable caricature. Although disguised as a modern production, they fall into the same errors of typecast Latinos into same old stereotypes. The only valuable thing is the attempt to offer something different by mixing a Spanish language film with a musical, however its execution becomes irritating to watch. I'm sure any positive reviews must come from someone totally unfamiliar with the Spanish language, as this is a determining factor in making this film totally inedible and a endless meme material.

Emilia Pérez has sparked significant controversy, and for good reason. From the outset, the lack of Mexican representation like a glaring oversight. The French director's admission that he didn't feel the need to research Mexico, paired with the casting director's claim that no talented Mexican actors could be found, only adds insult to injury. These choices reflect a tone-deaf and dismissive approach to authenticity.

What's even more baffling is how Emilia Pérez managed to garner so many Oscar nominations. While the Academy has a history of nominating films with problematic undertones (The Help, Green Book), those at least offered stories that entertained broad audiences. Emilia Pérez, however, doesn't even accomplish that. The story is dull and lifeless, so much so that out of three of us who watched it, two fell asleep, and the third decided to switch to another movie.

To make matters worse, Emilia Pérez is a musical - but not in a good way. The songs are forgettable at best and cringe-worthy at worst, and most of the cast can barely sing. The musical numbers, which should have been a highlight, drag the movie down even further.

That said, there are a couple of redeeming elements. Zoe Saldaña and Karla Sofía Gascón deliver strong performances and truly don't deserve the backlash tied to the film's broader issues. Their nominations are the only ones that feel genuinely earned. Unfortunately, the rest of the film is a mess.

Overall, Emilia Pérez is an underwhelming, uninspired production that fails to justify the attention it's received.

Seriously??? This movie is such a joke! It literally lacks authentic representation of mexico?? As a mexican, i am deeply offended this movie is poorly directed and written. I was originallly very passionate and excited for this movie, but after watching this, it just upsets and offend me... On top of that, how did this film get nominated for oscar?? Anyone with a good pair of eyes could see this film has nothing good at all, especially the plot, what in the world is it?? It is ridicoulous, does not make any sense and again RIDICULOUS. Please do not spend time watching this movie, it is a complete waste of time.