Who is Emilia Perez? Between identity and redemption

Who is Emilia Perez? 

I had no idea what to expect when I started watching the movie, and by the end, I still wasn’t entirely sure. All I knew going in was that it was a musical centred around three women. Sometimes, stepping into a film blind can be a great experience, and this proved to be one of those times, at least in part.

The movie is undeniably ambitious. It aims to be a testament to the cost of change, the weight of sacrifice, and the complexities of love in all its forms. Rather than simply celebrating love, it examines how it can consume, corrupt, and demand impossible choices. This is a story about a love that forces ultimatums: self-love that comes at the cost of everything, familial love that clouds reason, and love that reveals the darkest corners of humanity. At its centre are three flawed and morally grey women, making choices that are uncomfortable yet deeply human.

The story follows three main characters: Rita (Zoe Saldana), Emilia (Karla Sofia Garzón), and Jessi (Selena Gomez). Set in the vibrant yet dangerous streets of Mexico City, the film begins with Manitas, a feared cartel boss trapped in a violent life and a body that feels alien to him. Desperate to live authentically, he enlists Rita, a struggling lawyer, to help him undergo gender-affirming surgery. Manitas fakes his death, leaving behind his wife, Jessi, and their two children, and flees to Switzerland to become Emilia.

Four years later, Emilia resurfaces in London and seeks Rita’s help once more, this time to reclaim her children. Assuming the identity of a long-lost aunt, she reintegrates into their lives, ultimately bringing them back to Mexico City, dragging Rita along with her. But returning home means confronting the devastation left in Manitas’ wake and the ever-present grip of the cartel. In an effort to make amends, Emilia starts a nonprofit dedicated to helping the families of the disappeared. Yet her redemption is complicated by self-serving motivations, and moments of rage and jealousy hint that Manitas’ past is never truly gone.

At its core, the film is about love, the love these three women share and their determination to stand together in a corrupted world. However, despite its ambition, the execution falters in several key areas. The film’s reliance on stereotypes and its reception within the Mexican community raised important concerns. With only one Mexican actress in the cast and a French director at the helm, the dialogue in Spanish felt stilted and unnatural, with many viewers criticizing it as sounding AI-translated. While I watched with subtitles and can’t personally judge the language fluency, I understand the backlash.

Additionally, the film’s portrayal of the trans community faced criticism for framing Emilia’s redemption arc as the central narrative, overshadowing the nuances of her identity. The handling of Mexico’s disappeared, a profoundly tragic and ongoing crisis, also felt surface-level, a missed opportunity to explore the gravity of the issue with more depth and care.

On first watch, I enjoyed elements of the film, particularly the gala scene where Emilia delivers a passionate speech while Rita sings about the city’s corruption, a moment brimming with vulnerability and power. But despite its bold themes and striking moments, the film struggles to fully deliver on its potential.

The weight of its ambition is undermined by its shortcomings in representation, authenticity, and narrative depth, leaving it as a film that aims high but ultimately falls short.

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