Honestly, if you tried to describe Emilia Pérez to someone who hasn't seen it, they’d probably think you were making it up. A Spanish-language musical about a Mexican cartel boss who transitions to a woman, hires a high-powered lawyer to fake her death, and then starts a non-profit to find the bodies of her former victims? It sounds like a fever dream.
Yet, here we are. Jacques Audiard’s 2024 film has basically taken over the cultural conversation, snagging a massive Jury Prize at Cannes and turning into a legitimate awards-season juggernaut. It’s a movie that refuses to sit still in one genre. One minute it’s a gritty crime thriller, the next it’s a flamboyant opera, and then it pivots into a heart-wrenching melodrama.
So, What Is the Movie Emilia Pérez About?
At its simplest level, the movie follows two women whose lives collide in the most extreme way possible. Rita Moro Castro (played by a phenomenal Zoe Saldaña) is a brilliant but overworked lawyer in Mexico City. She’s tired of using her talent to keep corrupt, powerful men out of jail.
Then she gets a phone call.
It’s Manitas Del Monte (Karla Sofía Gascón), a terrifying cartel leader who wants out. But Manitas doesn't just want to retire. He wants to fulfill a lifelong desire to live as a woman. He hires Rita to facilitate the entire process: finding the best surgeons in Bangkok and Tel Aviv, faking his death in a believable way, and relocating his wife, Jessi (Selena Gomez), and their kids to Switzerland.
The Transformation and the Twist
Fast forward a few years. Rita is living a wealthy, somewhat empty life in London when she’s approached by a mysterious, elegant woman. It's Emilia Pérez. The transition was successful, but Emilia is haunted. She misses her children.
She convinces Rita to help her move her "widowed" wife and kids back to Mexico. The plan? Emilia will pose as a long-lost cousin who has stepped in to support the family. It's a recipe for disaster. You’ve got a woman living in the same house as her former wife, who has no idea this "cousin" is actually the husband she thinks is dead.
A Cast That Actually Delivers
The performances are really what ground this bizarre concept. In a move that almost never happens, the Cannes Film Festival awarded the Best Actress prize to the entire female ensemble.
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- Karla Sofía Gascón: She’s the heart of the film. Playing both the brutal Manitas and the vulnerable, seeking-redemption Emilia, she carries the emotional weight of the story. She's the first openly trans actress to win such a major award at Cannes, and frankly, she earns every second of it.
- Zoe Saldaña: We’re used to seeing her in blue skin or space suits, but this is arguably her best "human" role. She’s the anchor. Her musical numbers, like "La Vaginoplastia," are surprisingly sharp and rhythmic.
- Selena Gomez: She plays Jessi, the wife who is left in the dark. Gomez brings a sort of raw, "trapped" energy to the role. She’s not just a pop star here; she’s a woman trying to find a second chance at love while being manipulated by a ghost.
Why the Music Is So Polarizing
Let's talk about the songs. This isn't The Sound of Music. The music in Emilia Pérez, composed by Clément Ducol and Camille, is "anti-spectacle."
Characters don't always burst into a big dance number with a 40-piece orchestra. Instead, the dialogue often melts into rhythm. It’s more like "spoken-word-meets-opera." One of the most talked-about scenes involves a hospital setting where people are literally singing about the clinical details of gender-affirming surgery.
It’s weird. It’s bold. Some people find it "cringe," while others think it’s a stroke of genius. But you definitely won't forget it.
The Controversy: Is It Authentic?
Because the director, Jacques Audiard, is a white, cisgender Frenchman who doesn’t even speak Spanish, the movie has faced some heat. Critics have pointed out that some of the accents (specifically Selena Gomez’s) feel a bit off to native speakers.
There's also the question of whether a musical is the right "vibe" for a story about Mexico's "disappeared"—the thousands of people who have gone missing due to cartel violence. Emilia tries to redeem herself by using her cartel connections to find these bodies and return them to their families. Some viewers feel this trivializes a very real, ongoing tragedy in Mexico.
Others argue that the "operatic" style is exactly why it works—it’s a modern myth, not a documentary. It’s supposed to be over-the-top.
Real-World Context and Facts
- Director: Jacques Audiard (known for A Prophet and Rust and Bone).
- Source Material: Loosely based on a chapter from the 2018 novel Écoute by Boris Razon.
- Language: Mostly Spanish, with some English and French.
- Budget: Roughly $26 million.
- Filming: Despite being set in Mexico, Switzerland, and Thailand, most of it was shot on soundstages in Paris.
What to Watch For
If you're planning to stream this on Netflix, pay attention to the shift in tone. The first half is almost like a heist movie—all tension and secrets. The second half turns into a soap opera with a body count.
The relationship between Emilia and Jessi is the most fascinating part. It’s a "strange, sweet love story," as some critics put it, but it’s built on a massive lie. That tension keeps the movie from feeling like just another musical.
What to do next:
If you haven't seen it yet, go into Emilia Pérez expecting the unexpected. Don't look for a traditional plot structure. Instead, watch it for the performances and the sheer audacity of the filmmaking.
If you have seen it and want more of that genre-bending French energy, check out Audiard’s earlier film A Prophet (Un prophète). It lacks the singing, but it has that same raw, intense look at the criminal underworld. For those more interested in the musical side of things, look up the soundtrack on Spotify—specifically the track "Mi Camino"—to see if the style clicks for you before diving into the full two-hour experience.