The vibrant trans narco musical, “Emilia Pérez,” now playing at the Ritz Five and Nov. 13 on Netflix, is an astonishing, operatic story of love, violence and the power of women. Director Jacques Audiard’s film, which won Best Actress (ensemble cast) and a Jury Prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, is a propulsive experience — one that viewers will appreciate for more than just its audaciousness.
Rita Moro Castro (Zöe Saldana), a lawyer in Mexico City, is first seen putting together a case about a couple whose love ends in death. Her success catches the eye of Manitas Del Monte (trans actress Karla Sofia Gascón in a dual role) a drug kingpin who kidnaps her and proposes she help him find a safe place to get gender confirmation surgery — outside of the United States and Mexico.
“Ever since I was able to think, I’ve wanted it,” Mantias says, imploring Rita, “But the world I come from — it is very difficult.”
Rita starts exploring opportunities around the world, and a fabulous musical number features patients getting vaginoplasty and other operations spinning around on gurneys in a style that pays homage to Busby Berkeley. When Rita meets with an apprehensive Dr. Wasserman (Mark Ivanir), in Tel Aviv, she must convince him that changing Manitas’ body is a way of changing society. Manitas wants to “live the life that nature didn’t give him.”
“Emilia Pérez” handles its trans themes with sensitivity. When Manitas sings about wanting “another face, skin and soul,” it is poignant and moving. And as Manitas realizes this dream to become Emilia Pérez, he whisks his wife Jessi (Selena Gomez) and their two kids off to Switzerland for safety. Manitas then “dies,” and is reborn, but only Rita knows the truth.
The film then jumps ahead four years, and Rita is living in London. She reconnects with Manitas, now Emilia, at a dinner party and is pulled back into Emilia’s violent world. She wants Rita to keep her secret about transitioning and help Emilia get her wife and kids back. It’s a risky prospect, but posing as a cousin, Emilia reunites with Jessi and their children, all of whom are unaware of Manitas’ new identity.
But there are other secrets. Back in Mexico City, Jessi sings about being in a gilded prison with golden handcuffs and reveals that she is in love with Gustavo (Edgar Ramírez). As Emilia asks Jessi about her relationship with Manitas, she learns some uncomfortable truths about her past. In addition, Emilia’s son sings about how much she smells like her father. These emotional moments pull at Emilia, who feels conflicted about her family.
However, Emilia also develops romantic feelings for someone new. When she becomes involved in the plight of the disappeared, and founds La Lucecita, an NGO designed to help women and families learn about their lost loved ones, she meets Epifanía Flores (Adriana Paz) and falls in love.
There is an interesting parallel, between Emilia and her family’s “before and after” with her surgery and the disappeared families learning the truth about their loved ones, and this is examined in a visually inventive song.
The music complements the action well throughout “Emilia Pérez,” allowing the characters to express their feelings — as Jessi does in her aria — and the film’s show-stopping number has Rita singing and dancing at a benefit. There is also a visually arresting karaoke-like sequence where Audiard uses split screens to showcase each character’s perspective as the drama comes to a head. After Rita finds Gustavo, a battle between Emilia and Jessi ensues. Emilia wants her children, Jessi wants money, and Rita is caught in the middle of their standoff as “Emilia Pérez” builds to its explosive finale.
The film is incredibly well made and captivating, but queer viewers may wish Emilia’s relationship with Epifanía had been more developed. Still, the performances, along with the film’s dynamic visuals and songs, are fantastic. Zöe Saldana is such a force of nature as Rita that the film sags when she is off screen, even as the tensions between Emilia and Jessi escalate. As the title character, Karla Sofia Gascón is also extraordinary, capturing Emilia’s strength of and vulnerability. Watching Emilia express her love for her children, and bond with them is quite powerful. Although Selena Gomez has a smaller role, and is the villain of the piece, she delivers a striking performance as a woman whose emotions swing wildly, from fear to love to power.
While it takes big swings, “Emilia Pérez” is just like its title character — unique, bold and uncompromising. Audiard’s film is sensational in every regard.