Emilia Pérez

Sorry, I've got to say it. EMILIA PEREZ IS NOT A GOOD MOVIE. It's not a Razzie film by any stretch, but it's practically incoherent narrative flow, at times excruciating dialog and lack of internal logic leave it as a mediocre straight-to Netflix commoner in the movie space. I'll give you an example of its bad script, in the movie the characther says "Bienvenido" which means Welcome, but in the context of the conversation she means to say "Your Welcome", "De nada" in Spanish. It seems they did the writing in French and use google for translation. Yes, it covers some important themes and issues, but that doesn't make your movie good. You still have to build a fundamentally good film around the issues or it's just noise. And that's Emilia Perez... just noise.

I once heard that one of the great elements that should not be missing in a good script is emotionality, the construction of emotions and a good dose of sentimentality, so that the audience is hooked either to the characters, to the situations or to both. Of course, it's an element that must be combined with several others and mixed in the right and necessary quantities so that we can have a good story to see and tell. Well, Emilia Pérez has none of that. Zero. Nothing. There is no emotional construction of any character. The audience is bombarded with very direct situations that seem to be simulating a reality that seems, from its foundation, implausible. All this is done in a serious and apparently respectful manner, but it's like paying tribute to something abstract and indefinite.

The performances don't help. This is the worst Selena Gomez I have ever seen. Full of melodramatic exaggerations in a niche she doesn't belong in, and making it seem like she was acting reluctantly and forcefully. Even their songs in the movie are horribly performed. None of the songs are good, in any case. The rest of the cast has very discreet performances with the exception of Zoe Saldaña, who is the best in the film, however, I don't think it's enough for her to star in the awards season.

I empathize with the Mexican audience who has complained about all the cultural inaccuracies. I agree with everything that has already been mentioned before. This is a story about Mexico, made by people who are not Mexican and who didn't even care to look Mexican.

Regarding the gender identity part of the story, I think it's a mockery. It's an extreme situation that is very difficult to believe. An attempt is made to be inclusive with a delicate topic to end up being disastrously offensive with another ultra-sensitive topic such as the victims of extreme violence due to drug trafficking and gangs. It's thus a story without a head or tail, which was attempted to be put together to purposely polemicize and nothing else. It's really a shame that such poorly planned projects are given space, perhaps leaving out much better ones.

I don't want to close this review without first saying that the global film industry is very wrong if they believe that this is being inclusive, because this is a joke in very bad taste. It's a scandal that a film like this is celebrated with so many nominations and awards. Absolutely an aberration.

This movie is considered one of the best motion pictures of the past year? How? What a miserable experience. Why is this movie a musical? WHY? None of the songs do anything to advance the plot or tell us more about the characters, in fact the awful songwriting makes every scene with a song feel like instead of getting a deeper understanding of anything through song, the song is being used to tell us things that we can already see on screen and would be way more effectively communicated through better visual storytelling. The songs also don't really have any structure to them, they don't go anywhere. It genuinely feels like it was translated by Duolingo and the awful delivery of the lines (especially from Selena Gomez) doesn't help matters at all. Karla Gascón is fine...but not that fine to be nominated for an Oscar.

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.

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.