Frida (2002)
If you know who Frida Kahlo is,
this film is like one of her colorful, beguiling and
troubling paintings come viscerally to life. If you
are not familiar with her, this film will be a tremendously
rewarding introduction, as visually appealing as it
is intellectually stimulating.
By the same token, if you are familiar
with Kahlo, this film may distress you with its glossing
over of major events in the artist's life. And if
she is new to you, many things may not make sense,
especially some of her paintings and the visual look
of the film, because you don't know the context in
which the film creates its visual landscape.
All this being said, "Frida" is
still, in many ways, a masterpiece that anyone with
appreciation of art and "life as art" can enjoy. Sure,
I wish the film could have delved more deeply into
Frida's life story, her motivations and justifications
for her actions and artwork. The complexity of her
sexuality and her marriage, as well as the political,
societal and cultural environments in which she existed
are all part of the story here. But there are also
voluminous events and complex issues that make up
Frida Kahlo and no two hour film could ever fully
express all of this. In many ways, this is the Reader's
Digest Condensed version of her life. But it does
detail how her (bi)sexuality, her politics, her creativity
and her relationships were reflected eloquently and
uniquely in her artwork. And, really, this is what
is most important in beginning to understand the impact
of Kahlo's work.
This film's vast story may infuriate
a few viewers for a variety of reasons, but anyone
who sees it will agree on one thing: The film is gorgeous
to look at. Simply put, this film is like a Kahlo
painting come to life. Just as Kahlo put her life
onto canvas, touched by her emotions, her history
and her politics, the filmmakers take the same tack
when putting her life on celluloid. The colors in
this film are vivid and amazing. Director Julie Taymor
and Production Designer Felipe Fernandez del Paso
create the most remarkable and colorful film to be
seen in ages. This film seems to literally leap off
the screen and into our eyes. The gorgeous blues,
the amazing greens, the yellow yellows, the loving
browns of tan skin, all come together to make the
film not only passionate and resplendent but also
help us to understand Kahlo's work so much more intuitively.
When we see the reflection of Kahlo's art in this
film, we conversely begin to see the reflection of
Kahlo's real life in her art. It is a remarkable Mobeus
strip of beauty. Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto and
Costume Designer Julie Weiss also deserve kudos and
Oscar nods for their work here.
Speaking of Weiss' work, one must
think of how simply perfect Frida's costumes were
in this film. The necklaces she wears here are alone
enough to garner Weiss an Oscar. Weiss does astounding
work here min costuming the actors as if they were
indeed the models for Kahlo's original artwork.
As Frida, Salma Hayek is perfect.
I mean, literally, in every conceivable idea inherent
in the phrase, Salma Hayek IS Frida. She breathes
life into this amazing, passionate, beautiful, troubled
and intelligent woman. It is stunning. It is a performance
to cheer and adore. And while Hayek is pitch perfect,
it is the talent of those around her in the background,
including Weiss (especially Weiss), that helps to
make her so. Hayek looks like Frida looked in her
paintings. In fact, the effect is so flawless that
the film often actually, physically, has Kahlo's paintings
morphing perfectly into the live action of the film.
This isn't as much CGI trickery as it is the complete
verisimilitude of every physical and artistic aspect
of the film. Agai n, I will say this without hesitation
and without any exceptions: This film is a Frida Kahlo
painting come beautifully to life.
The secondary cast here is also
quite nice but there are a few problems. Now, I love
Alfred Molina. He has been one of my favorite character
actors since appearing in "Prick Up Your Ears" in
the 80's, but he doesn't quite nail Diego Rivera here.
His pompous, cigar-smoking, fat revolutionary doesn't
seem to have the charismatic oomph that Rivera surely
had in real life to make him so attractive to Kahlo
and nearly every other woman who seemed to swoon at
the bat of his eyes or the stroke of his brush. Molina,
please understand, is not terrible in the role by
any means, but he seems to be missing a tinge of the
spark that apparently made Kahlo fall for him. Then
again, the chemistry between he and Hayek is not as
palpable as it should be, so perhaps she must bear
part of the blame as well.
Geoffrey Rush is barely believable
as Leon Trotsky. Even with make up, wig, prosthetics
and other props and a dye job, Rush cannot capture
the spirit of a man that Americans presumably know
very little about. We don't understand the importance
of his character or the importance of his relationship
to Kahlo. The story, of course, is rushed (no pun
intended) in this glossed-over biopic, but Rush is
a consummate actor who should be able to overcome
even the worst of written words. He too has much trouble
creating the appropriate chemistry with Hayek and
we never relate to his Trotsky.
Hayek doesn't have the same problem
with Diego Luna, of "Y tu mama tambien" fame ealy
in the film. As her young lover at university, Luna,
is full of youth and vigor and joyous sexuality. Hayek
works quite well here, even if she's all dolled up
in a little schoolgirl's uniform that she is obviously
far too old to be wearing. The film's vibe becomes
far less sexually charged after Luna leaves the screen.
"Frida" may not be the novelesque,
deep, involving, complex and enigmatic film that the
Kahlo fan club members may have been hoping for. But
like her beautiful paintings, which have become cultural
icons, the film is simply breathtaking to gaze upon.
And this film, if nothing else, helps to explain to
the neophyte partially what the paintings are about.
The placements of Kahlo's paintings in the film, in
conjunction with the story, are pointed reminders
of how delicately and yet boldly Kahlo's work reflected
exactly who she was and what she had experienced.
Note:
Also with Antonio Banderas, Ashley
Judd, Edward Norton, Roger Rees, and Safron Burrows.
Score by Elliot Rosenthal. Based
on Hayden Herrera's Kahlo biography. Several scripters
worked on the project including "Selena" director
Gregory Nava. Hayek is credited as a producer.
For several years, Kahlo biopics
have been kicking around Hollywood in development.
At one point, a film called "The Two Fridas" with
Jennifer Lopez was slated to be produced at nearly
the same time as this film. Right before filming began,
Lopez dropped out (a wise move). "The Two Fridas"
may still be made one day but how well this film does
will surely play into that production's future.
At the time of production, this
film was called "Frida Kahlo."
Viewed at a press sneak at the Dobie
theater in October 2002. Corey and Martin from the
"Reel Deal" were there as well as some lady I met
who works for a Hispanic newspaper here in town. Henry,
the attractive rep from the publicity company that
works for Mirimax asked me who I was.
