Emilia Perez is a genuinely fascinating feature but not for the reasons you may think. This film is fascinating for all the wrong reasons, its chaotic execution, one dimensional characters and lacklustre musical numbers.
I went into this film unbiased, despite the uproar from its academy nominations I wanted to give this film a chance but alas, you were all right - this film is a mess.
The film is overworked with layers of narrative, following each characters journey along with the ongoing crime plot at the centre. Emilia Perez doesn’t know what it is, the film feels confused, is it a musical? Is it a crime thriller? Is it a story of identity? I believe by attempting to be all of the above the result is too busy and is received as soulless.
After the four year time jump, the film does take a promising turn. Leaving behind the dark, gritty colour palette and harsh lighting effects. Everything brightens, a juxtaposition that seemed to represent Emilia’s life before and after her transition. Now, she is able to live her life authentically and that is represented through the bright colours and playful dialogue - which sadly don’t last very long.
The musical numbers are almost comical, it’s as though they actively produced songs which were forgettable and lacking in any kind of rhythm.
Emilia Perez was overpacked with too many stylised techniques which added nothing to the impact of the story. This film should have been a clear and emotive narrative of identity and gender but instead it over saturated those elements with unnecessary plot lines.
Karla Sofia Gascón is the stand out performance in this film, she has a genuine charisma on screen that I enjoyed watching. She is natural and believable in her intentions, Gascón acted as the core of this film and her character journey from beginning to end was intriguing to watch unfold.
Selena Gomez gave a transformative performance, she showed her range as an actress and I believe she delivered a memorable and distinctive character. Despite being a supporting character, Gomez held up against her co-stars and was able to steal every scene she was in.
Zoe Saldana is an undeniable power performer, she always delivers emotion and range. Although, I found her character in this film to be underdeveloped and one dimensional. I wanted to recognise her performance but I don’t think she was the star of this film.
Although the film does have some intriguing moments, overall it felt obnoxiously on the nose. The story lacked subtlety, attempting to tackle important themes of gender and identity through uninspired, dull musical numbers and busy, messy execution. Essentially, Emilia Perez is a confused film, it attempts to do too much when it should have simplified its story and stopped continuing to spell everything out for its audience.
1/5 Probe Points
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