Mexican Telenovelas are celebrated for their melodramatic touch, transforming ordinary occurrences into spectacular events: twin sisters switching their identities, a poor girl falling in love with a rich man and countless stories of revenge. This dramatic style is beloved worldwide for its ability to turn routine into spectacle and resonate with audiences across generations. Instead of embracing this genre with its absurd story, “Emilia Pérez” does the opposite. Making its debut at the New York Film Festival this year, the feature with a stellar women-led cast tries to be many things at once, ultimately leaving audiences with empty promises.
The film’s premise is intriguing: Emilia Pérez (Karla Sofia Gastón), a dangerous cartel leader, recruits frustrated lawyer Rita (Zoe Saldana) to fake her death so she can live as her true self. Years later, Emilia seeks Rita’s help again, this time to reunite with her ex-wife Jessi (Selena Gomez) and their children, who are unaware that Emilia is still alive.
Gastón delivers a strong performance as Emilia, a character torn between her violent past and the need to embrace her true identity. On the other hand, Saldana shines as a woman striving for success but is entrapped in a male-dominated world. Though bursting with energy, Gomez is woefully underused and only allowed to showcase her talent fully in the final act.
While the film is rightfully praised for its stellar cast, Aquiard’s screenplay tackles too many themes—transgender rights, women’s struggles and Mexico’s ongoing crisis of violence and missing persons—without offering a meaningful statement. The story feels more concerned with delivering cathartic musical numbers for its characters than diving into the social issues it touches on.
Emilia’s arc, in particular, suffers the most from the lack of focus. As a transgender woman and cartel leader, her story had the potential to become a new feminist anthem for audiences; yet, it’s overshadowed by Saldana’s Rita, who makes the more explicit statements about femininity and (yes) transgender rights. In one particularly embarrassing moment, Rita sings to her doctor about how changing ourselves means a change in society as a whole—a moment that encapsulates the film’s vague remarks.
This imbalance is where the film feels falsely advertised. Though titled “Emilia Peréz,” Rita’s story of ambition is the backbone of the narrative rather than Emilia’s journey of self-acceptance. Whether Aquaird was unaware of this narrative shift or hesitant to give Emilia the spotlight, the film delivers inconsistencies on its promising premise.
Selena Gomez’s character, Jessi, is another casualty: with only two musical performances in the movie, her talents are largely sidelined until the last act. It will leave audiences wondering why such a forceful character was sacrificed to the film’s overambitious agenda.
As for the musical elements, they, too, feel disjointed and–as mentioned–embarrassing. They interrupt the flow of the story, even perturbing the cast’s performance and affecting the overall tone consistency of the film. But some, like the powerful piece about Mexico’s missing persons crisis fueled by gang violence, will give some electrical remarks.
Despite these flaws, the cast is undeniably committed to elevating the uneven script with their performances. Aquiard’s juggernaut ideas of exploring Mexican culture and subrealm are saved by the resounding work of Gastó, Saldana and Gomez, who conceal the script’s lack of cohesiveness.
Ultimately, “Emilia Peréz” is less of a reflective, profound narrative of societal problems and more of an absurd, telenovela-style spectacle. It doesn’t require deep contemplation, nor does it leave an emotional memento. Its strength lies in its cast—women ready to go wild for the audience’s delight. Had the film embraced this absurdity from the outset, it could’ve been a more enjoyable and fair experience.
Rating: 2.5/5
“Emilia Pérez” is currently being screened at the New York Film Festival. It will receive a limited release in selected theaters on Nov. 1 before debuting on Netflix on Nov. 13. Tickets are available here.
