Dir: Bill Condon, US, 2025, 128mins.
Cast: Diego Luna, Tonatiuh, Jennifer Lopez
Review by Carlie Newman
In English/Spanish with English sub-titles
The other aspect of the film is a fantasy Hollywood musical imagined by Molina as he tells the plot to his cell mate. In this Jennifer Lopez plays the heroine Aurora, and also the Spider Woman. And Diego Luna and Tonatiuh are also characters in the musical.
Valentin is not at all keen on sharing with Molina to start with, but the two gradually become very close.
Luna is exactly right in his portrayal of the political rebel, willing to undergo torture rather than betray his comrades. Tonatiuh is a new star. He gives a most sensitive performance using his eyes, face and whole body to portray his character. Lopez shows that she can dance as well as sing and act and she looks fantastic.
The musical interludes are in bright technicolour and give a good feel of the Hollywood musical films of the past including references to a number of famous Film musicals.
What began as a novel by Manuel Puig, then became a film adaptation in 1985, which was adapted into a musical on stage in 1992, has now become a film version of that musical. It is now a very special film blending a film with a realistic political background and a bright technicolour musical fantasy.
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