“Emilia Pérez” is undoubtedly the most interesting movie I have seen this year—but not in a good way. “Emilia Pérez” is a musical crime film that follows Rita (Zoe Saldaña), an overlooked Mexican attorney, as she is recruited by an infamous cartel boss (Karla Sofia Gascón) for a strange task. The cartel leader wishes to transition into a woman and reinvent herself as Emilia Pérez. Rita helps Emilia fake her death and move her family to a safe location, but when Emilia starts to miss her life in Mexico, lives are upended.
“Emilia Pérez” has been very controversial. The trans community has spoken out about why the movie is a gross misrepresentation of a trans woman. Many have argued that the movie paints transitioning as a quick and easy way to erase your misdeeds and start anew. This is far from a realistic trans experience.
Some Mexicans have also found “Emilia Pérez” offensive. The film tells the story of the Mexican drug war that has left over five hundred thousand people dead – through song. The director, Jacques Audiard, is French and has no significant ties to Mexico. Additionally, none of the major cast members are Mexican. This calls into question the film’s ability to accurately portray Mexico.
The plot of “Emilia Pérez” sounds completely ridiculous when summarized. Audiard attempted to create a touching film about a woman reborn who uses her new identity to make amends for her past life. However, “Emilia Pérez” simply looks like an incoherent joke. Several scenes have made rounds on social media for being so incredibly bad. Most notably, the song ‘La Vaginoplastia’ is two unbearable minutes of Zoe Saldaña and a surgeon singing about the sex reassignment surgeries Emilia Pérez will undergo. This is a prime example of how drawn out the plot is: two hours ends up feeling like five. I had to take several breaks throughout the movie to stay engaged.
The only reason “Emilia Pérez” is somewhat entertaining is because it’s a musical. Although none of the tracks were outstanding, they brought a playful element to an otherwise dull script. In a way, the soundtrack managed to complement the absurdity of the storyline.
“Emilia Pérez” has had tremendous success in recent and upcoming awards. The film has won four Golden Globes and received a whopping 13 Oscar nominations, surpassing widely acclaimed movies like The Godfather. Many have been left wondering why the movie has received such acclaim.
There seems to be a trend of the Academy acknowledging abstract and “groundbreaking” movies because they are different. Take “Poor Things” for example; the film won four Oscars for its unusual style and Emma Stone’s portrayal of a woman without societal boundaries. Even so, “Poor Things” has depth while “Emilia Pérez” is all surface-level.
Overall, “Emilia Pérez” is just as bad as audiences have claimed. The movie’s nonsensical plot and simplistic approach to real-world problems make it undeserving of its success.
