Frida Review
by Shannon Patrick Sullivan (shannon AT morgan DOT ucs DOT mun DOT ca)January 21st, 2003
FRIDA (2002) / ***
Directed by Julie Taymor. Screenplay by Clancy Sigal, Diane Lake, Gregory Nava and Anna Thomas, based on the book "Frida: A Biography Of Frida Kahlo" by Hayden Herrera. Starring Salma Hayek, Alfred Molina, Roger Rees. Running time: 118 minutes. Rated AA for offensive language by the MFCB. Reviewed on January 21st, 2003.
By SHANNON PATRICK SULLIVAN
Synopsis: Frida Kahlo (Hayek) is a budding artist whose life is irrevocably changed after suffering terrible injuries in a bus accident. Determined not to be a burden on her father Guillermo (Rees), Kahlo returns to her painting, and seeks out philandering muralist Diego Rivera (Molina) for advice. Kahlo and Rivera find a common cause in their support of Communism, and soon fall in love. But can a marriage of two such forceful, independent personalities survive for long?
Review: "Frida" is a difficult, moving picture about a difficult, moving life. That Kahlo was able to channel the pain she endured into artwork of such power and imagination would be enough fodder for any biopic. But Frida also lived through the turbulence of the pre-War era, as Communism caught fire amongst the bohemian class. With appearances by both Leon Trotsky (Geoffrey Rush) and Nelson Rockefeller (Edward Norton), the film gains a much broader historical context than might be expected. But the emphasis here is firmly on Frida's relationship with her husband, Diego -- a man of enormous talent and equally colossal failings -- and the movie is as much about him as about Kahlo herself. Indeed, one of "Frida"'s flaws is that it occasionally loses sight of its own central character. The injury which changed Kahlo's life sometimes fades into the background so much that, at one point, the audience could be forgiven for thinking she had fully recovered from it. Nor is Taymor fully able to capture the importance and provenance of Kahlo's artwork, and she seems uncertain at times as to how best to portray it onscreen. Still, "Frida" is worth seeing for the performances by Hayek and Molina, if nothing else. Both stars lose themselves in roles which are demanding and uncompromising, but ultimately very rewarding.
Copyright © 2003 Shannon Patrick Sullivan.
Archived at The Popcorn Gallery,
http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sps/movies.html
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
