Despite receiving just “okay” reviews, Emilia Pérez was designated the winner of the International category Oscar—and a Best Picture nominee (at least)—before the entries were even made. The film, written and directed by Jacques Audiard, is a musical based on Audiard’s opera libretto of the same name. At the risk of being considered heretical, Emilia Pérez would have been a much better film without the singing and dancing, which get in the way of a fascinating plot.
Rita Moro Castro (Zoe Saldaña) is an unappreciated criminal defense lawyer who is getting fed up with defending guilty rich people. She receives an anonymous call asking her to meet at a certain spot. She does so, is kidnapped and brought to meet a notorious cartel boss, Manitas Del Monte (Karla Sofía Gascón). Manitas offers Rita a ton of money if she will discreetly help him change into a woman. Rita finds an expert doctor to do the surgery and, sure enough, Rita finds herself wealthier than she ever could have imagined. She moves to London and enjoys the good life.
Four years later, Manitas, who has faked his death, approaches Rita again. Now known as Emilia Pérez, she wants to be close to her two children without revealing that she is their father. Rita convinces Manitas’ “widow”, Jessi (Selena Gomez), that Emilia is a distant cousin who offers to let her and the children live with her in luxurious circumstances.
Remorseful because of her previous life, Emilia, again with the help of Rita, starts a nonprofit to help the families of people killed by cartels. They promote the nonprofit at expensive fundraisers and even on television. And then things start to go terribly wrong.
There are a couple major plot flaws with this film. Is it really possible that no one other than Rita recognizes the facial similarity between Emilia and Manitas? And I don’t believe I am the only one who wonders why Emilia doesn’t just tell Jessi who she really is? But this is a movie, and without these dubious plot choices, we couldn’t have the inevitable tragedy near the ending.
I should note that Jacques Audiard made one of my all-time favorite films, A Prophet, a prison drama about a young man who gradually learns the good qualities—and the power—within himself.
One more anecdote. I once asked a close French friend of my mine who was her favorite French filmmaker. After thinking about it for a while, she replied, “Michel Audiard.” Huh? By this time I had seen 150 French films from all eras, and I had never heard of Michel Audiard. My friend explained that he had been a screenwriter. It says a lot about the French view of cinema that someone from a blue-collar family background would choose a screenwriter as her favorite filmmaker. Michel Audiard was the father of Jacques Audiard, the writer and director of Emilia Pérez.
