21/17
Jacques Audiard’s first Spanish-language film
Story
In Mexico, a lawyer receives an unexpected offer to help a feared cartel boss retire and disappear forever, becoming the woman he always wanted to be. IMDb editor Arno Kazarian gives brief reviews of 12 films he’s screening at the 2024 New York Film Festival, including Anora and the dangerous, strangely erotic Misericordia. The French title card misspells the name of the Indian city as “Dehli.” Featured in Latino Slant: La Bamba Remake, Tarantino Has a BIG MOUTH, Jenny and Selena’s SPICE Shocks! (2024). El Trio Written by Camille, Clément Ducol, and Jacques Audiard Performed by Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, and Zoe Saldana.
The trick is that she will be reborn as herself; Emilia
A cunning but often overlooked Mexico City attorney, Rita, catches the eye of Manitas, a notorious drug lord and criminal mastermind. Manitas has an interesting request, which Rita accepts at her own risk. By staging his murder, secretly obtaining the perfect surgeon, and providing for her family, Manitas will make Rita rich. For a while, everything goes well, but the past starts to come back. Emilia misses her children and wife and resents the new influences in their lives.
I really admire and appreciate his work
Emilia struggles to live half in one life and half in the other. This combination of a narco-thriller, musical, romance, comedy, character-driven social piece, and gender affirmation drama is stunning. The film also jumps to different and interesting locations around the world. Although the film has many twists and turns, director Jacques Audiard maintains a firm grip on the narrative. It’s amazing that a film can be so exciting and funny and yet still manage to touch on the subject of the more than 100,000 people who have disappeared in Mexico due to drug violence, but Audiard does it.
I am also charmed by the French style, especially its austerity
True to the multifaceted and surprising nature of the film, the actors won a joint prize at the Cannes Film Festival for their performances (Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz and Karla Sofía Gascón). The film is intriguing and fascinating because it never loses sight of the human component. Emilia’s feelings are natural to what someone in her position might ask and wonder. For example, was she really in love and did people love her? No one beats around the bush and no censors are active in censoring.
See the full lineup for the 62nd New York Film Festival this fall
Pride, truth, forgiveness, love and much more – all of this is on full display.
