Summary
Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Perez is a brilliant and poignant look at four women discovering and finding themselves in even the darkest places.
Jacques Audiard directs Emilia Perez, part of Netflix’s annual awards-season slate. The genre-blending movie boasts a star-studded ensemble led by four powerful performances by Zoe Saldana, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, and Adriana Paz. Audiard’s film takes a massive swing and knocks it out of the ballpark.
Emilia Perez follows the story of cartel leader Emilia, who enlists Rita, an underappreciated lawyer, to help fake her death so that Emilia can live her life as her authentic self. This ignites a powerful journey of four remarkable women pursuing their happiness.
I walked into Emilia Perez completely cold, not seeing a trailer and knowing very little about it, and I highly recommend you do the same. Jacques Audiard writes a unique and powerful story that puts women at the forefront of this transformative journey of finding happiness in the depths of being trapped in situations they can’t escape.
Musicals can be very hit-and-miss for me, and Audiard doesn’t insert the musical numbers into the movie for show but allows them to be pivotal in adding layers and perspective to the characters. That said, the songs and performances are breathtaking and deliver on a grand scale. I credit a lot of this to Camile, who wrote the songs for the film. Her attention to detail in writing the lyrics specifically for those performing elevated both the performers and the movie.
Not to disparage the work that Zoe Saldana has done over the last decade in the roles part of bigger franchises, but her performance as Rita Castro reminded me (and will audiences) of how great of an actress she truly is. Saldana sings, dances, and acts her way to the best performance of her career and one of 2024’s best individual showcases. The Best Supporting Actress conversation starts with Saldana, period.
Zoe Saldana in Emilia Perez | Image via Saint-Laurent Productions
You can’t talk about the film without talking about Emilia Perez herself, Karla Sofia Gascon. How Gascon navigates the early stages of Manitas, a ruthless cartel leader with little to no care, and transforms into the person she wants to be in Emilia, highlights her as a bona fide movie star. I was in awe of her work, and I hope this brings more awareness to who she is and the actress she can be.
I could go on and on about this cast, which should be in the conversation with the SAG Ensemble during the award season. I am in awe of Selena Gomez and her willingness to explore a character as unique and bold as Jessi, who sees her step out of her comfort zone. Gomez shines in the moments she is on the screen. Also, Adriana Paz, the fourth of the mighty women of this strong cast, carries such an emotional weight during the back half and delivers in a big way.
I was blown away to find out Emilia Perez was shot on a stage using VFX because of how succinctly Mexico is captured and made a character in its own right. Capturing the essence of the dark yet beautiful city was such a vital part of conveying this world and captivating me in it. The VFX team deserves all the flowers in the world for their work.
Audiard’s ability to capture this journey with such a free range of emotions takes your breath away at every turn. It’s a beautifully broken journey that showcases much of what is wrong with modern society. Everyone should watch Emilia Perez for the groundbreaking film that it is, but the message at the heart of it all stands out the most.
