‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ REVIEW: Technicolor escapism from the dread of reality
‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ REVIEW: Technicolor escapism from the dread of reality
Jennifer Lopez and Tonatiuh in Kiss of the Spider Woman
People come to movies for various reasons – to escape, to be informed, to feel loved. We come to movies to ease our pain and live with the stars, with no complications of the tangible reality whatsoever. We can be whoever we want to be. We can be a sexy, mysterious femme fatale who flirts with everyone until she finds her true love or a dashing hero who saves the day.
On the brink of a massive and bloody revolution, some people choose to live in their technicolor delusions, hiding behind its gleam to escape a terrifying reality. In Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Molina (Tonatiuh), a queer window dresser, transports himself to movies to cope with the isolating nature of his prison cell, which he wishes to escape one day. There, he meets Valentin (Diego Luna), a political dissident imprisoned for his involvement with a revolutionary group. Molina idolizes the silver screen star Ingrid Luna and recounts her film, “Kiss of the Spiderwoman” to his cellmate, Valentin. Much to Valentin’s disdain, he sat and listened to Molina blabber about the film, but he eventually warmed up to Molina’s storytelling as his own way of coping.
The film adaptation based on the Broadway musical, with a book by Terrence McNally, music by John Kander, and lyrics by Fred Ebb, is an exhilarating and unforgettable ride from start to finish. There is a simple brilliance in the direction of Bill Condon, the director behind Chicago and Showgirls. He directed the musical sequences with flamboyance and flair while never forgetting the nitty gritty of the real life Dirty War that took place in Argentina.
This is the first time I have found myself agreeing to the exclusion of some songs from the stage musical, as the film focuses on depicting the grittiness of prison life with a more realistic approach while highlighting Molina’s escapism with the opulent, MGM-esque musical sequences. While I wish the back and forth of the prison scenes and the “Spiderwoman” sequences were more seamless in the first half of the movie, that opinion changed when “Where You Are” played. It was fascinating how the camera pans from Molina’s frightened state inside the prison walls to a big lavish stage with a chorus line to help him ease his worries.
The slow burn of Molina and Valentin’s eventual bond was organic and never felt forced its way into the plot. It’s not necessarily electric, but rather sensual and comforting. For those who watched the film for the ever-reliable Jennifer Lopez, who has proven her serious acting prowess in Hustlers as well as in this movie, may find a new love for the film’s main actor Tonatiuh, who gave an incredibly layered and emotional interpretation of Molina, a character that could easily turn into a caricature if played by a wrong actor. He injected a multitude of emotions in his rendition of “She’s a Woman”: longing, loving, and yearning to be someone he really wants to be.
As for Diego Luna, who is no stranger to musicals, having lent his voice for the 2014 animated musical The Book of Life, remains an actor one to watch for in the plethora of movies he starred in. His take on Valentin is a hardened one, defined by principles and beliefs he will never abandon, that softens once he gets closer with Molina. The trifecta of Lopez’s, Tonatiuh’s, and Luna’s talents ultimately elevated the film and made the film even more entertaining to watch.
The musical’s homage to classic movies is evident and its biggest appeal. In the abundance of movie musicals being made today, the lush and vibrant cinematography of Spiderworman’s musical sequences stand out the most. Akin to La La Land, its inspirations are drawn from several Old Hollywood movie musicals including Singin’ In The Rain and Summer Stock. These vibrant technicolor musical numbers are a proof of Bill Condon’s mastery of the form. The film also feels like a spiritually Bob Fosse film for how the sequences go back and forth from the Spider Worman film to reality. Even its ending reminded me of All That Jazz: how both protagonists of the respective films embraced their fate at the very end. The only difference is that while All That Jazz’s ending is cynical, Kiss of the Spiderwoman’s ending is more cathartic and symbolic.
The Kiss of the Spider Woman’s story has been adapted in many mediums, but what’s interesting about every iteration of the story is that they differ in terms of interpretation and execution that makes them interesting to watch. The expectation I had for this movie musical ever since it got numerous praises at Sundance was immense, and I am glad to report that the film did not disappoint. It’s a shame that there might be a chance for the movie to be buried in the sea of content and films being produced today, so if you have a chance to catch this gripping and entertaining tale of survival and defiance under an oppressive regime on the big screen, please do so.
