Jacques Audiard elaborates on whyEmilia Pérezis a musical. After being well-received at Cannes and TIFF, the award-buzzing movie finally became available on Netflix this week. The plot follows the story of a drug cartel boss in Mexico who enlists lawyer Rita (Zoe Saldaña) to help her fulfill the dream of becoming the woman she has always been. Although the movie is focused on the titular character trying to amend her criminal past, the filmcontains a series of musical numbers performed by the cast. TheEmilia Pérezcast featuresSaldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, Edgar Ramírez, and Mark Ivanir.
Speaking with theNew York Times, Audiard explained why he decided to makeEmilia Péreza musical. The director previously had pondered the idea of a musical for his filmsA Self-Made HeroandA Prophet. Though he “lacked the courage to do it” those times, he had “long loved opera,” which propelled him to makeEmilia Pérez.Check out the full quote from Audiard below:
If we had had this conversation three or four months ago, I would’ve said that it just landed on me. But actually, that’s wrong. I think the musical has been chasing me for a long time. Already with my second feature, “A Self-Made Hero,” the composer Alexandre Desplat and I had thought of making a small opera but lacked the courage to do it.
After my film “A Prophet,” [co-writer] Thomas Bidegain and I thought about doing a musical set in the world of narcos, a love story amid the drug trade. But it didn’t happen. When it came to the character that eventually led to “Emilia Pérez,” I knew that I could do it and immediately wrote a short opera in the form of a libretto.
I’ve long loved opera. Now, I’m not an assiduous spectator. Sometimes I’m quite bored. But I have a deep curiosity for this total spectacle. Maybe my desire to do an opera came from my own feeling as a spectator that what’s missing is contemporary opera.
WhenAudiard was asked if he had any hesitations about the musical approach, he expressed that he wasn’t a huge fan of musicals. However, he believes that hispretensions are what encouraged him to take the riskin the first place.
I didn’t have any hesitation. I wasn’t hampered by an excessive love for the musical genre. I don’t actually like that many musicals. It’s a little pretentious to say, but maybe I had the pretension to try to make a musical that I would like from my perspective as a viewer.
What This Means For Emilia Pérez
The Film Is Not A Typical Musical
It is interesting to hear thatEmilia Pérezis a musical made by a filmmaker who does not “actually like that many musicals.” Oftentimes,movie musicalsare flashy endeavors that are made by musical theater lovers, such as the ostentatious historical filmThe Greatest Showman. However, there are waysin whichEmilia Pérezis an atypical musical. For example, many of the songs are very short, lacking the typical arc of a ballad or group number in a Broadway musical. It is still inundated with music since it presents the emotions and inner thoughts that the characters — Emilia, Rita, and Jessi — are experiencing throughout the movie.
Emilia Pérez Ending Explained: What Happens To Emilia, Jessi & Rita
The ending of Netflix’s crime comedy musical Emilia Pérez raises tough questions about the moral and redemptive qualities of the titular protagonist.
Furthermore,Emilia Pérezfeatures a variety ofvocal styles that do not all fit the conventional, highly-trained voice mode. Two doctors – one in Singapore and the other in Israel — sound more like typical people bursting into song rather than seasoned stage actors, which adds a different feel to the movie. Even the film’s leads bring a variety of vocal styles, adding heterogeneity to the film, which is a refreshing alternative to film adaptations of Broadway musicals such asDear Evan Hansen.
Our Take On Emilia Pérez As A Musical
There Are Not That Many Original Movie Musicals
Emilia Pérezis worth being a musical for the performance of Saldaña alone, who shines in song and dialogue in the drama. Beyond any one performance, however,Emilia Pérezis a refreshing musical because of its approach while still being centered around the violence in Mexico. While the fact that the movie is a musical may turn off some audiences, I recommend giving this Netflix film a try since it offers a more opera-like alternative.
Emilia Perez
Cast
Emilia Perez is a drama film that follows the life of Emilia Perez, a determined and ambitious individual striving to make a name for herself in a competitive environment. The story explores her journey as she navigates the challenges and obstacles that come her way, all while uncovering the complexities of her own identity.
