Overall, Kiss of the Spider Woman is a whirlwind of fantasy serving as a vehicle of escape from human suffering.
Kiss of the Spider Woman is a whirlwind of grand, sweeping music that captures the old Hollywood aesthetic while challenging its sentiments, all within the eve of a political uprising. At times, the acting can appear clunky. However, the film’s compelling music and score help elevate the performances. It’s a movie you’re likely to sit and absorb for a bit once the screen goes white. Overall, Kiss of the Spider Woman is a whirlwind of fantasy serving as a vehicle of escape from human suffering.
Directed by Bill Condon (Dreamgirls, Chicago) with a screenplay by Condon, the movie is based on a stage musical by Terrence McNally, who in turn based the musical on a book by Manuel Puig. The film is set in Argentina in the 1980s. It follows two men sharing a cell, Valentín Arregui, played by Diego Luna (A Rainy Day In New York, DC League of Pets), and Luis Molina, played by Tonatiuh (Carry-On, Drunk Bus). While imprisoned together, Luis tells Valentín the plot for a musical with star Ingrid Luna, performed by Jennifer Lopez (Hustlers, Atlas), who plays Aurora.
Kiss of the Spider Woman Is Escape Within Escape
Luis bridges worlds, bringing together the imprisoned Valentín and the glitzy world of Aurora. But he also functions as the compelling go-between for the audience and the film. So, everyone learns how Luis’s mind works. It’s dramatic. But that is his character. Additionally, what makes older films and Hollywood movies memorable is that they were often over-the-top in their storytelling. From the acting to the music to the wardrobe, it screamed exaggeration, grandeur, and usually glamour. Sweeping music, larger-than-life set pieces, etc. That is particularly true with musicals. Kiss of the Spider Woman embraces that with wild fervor.
The stunning wardrobe helps to immerse the cast and moviegoers in the world of the musical that Luis describes. Costume designers Colleen Atwood (Chicago, Sleepy Hollow) and Christine L. Cantella (The Little Mermaid, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children) understood that the clothing for the musical must be a stark contrast to the gloomy grey of incarceration. Thanks to that, the film recalls musicals like Athena or Stormy Weather while also giving the broad-shouldered, visual precision of Mildred Pierce. That, combined with the score, elevates the performances.
Tonatiuh Is Debonair With Flair
The cast performances vary from good to outstanding. Tonatiuh exudes that impassioned spark necessary to hook viewers. Diego Luna is a delightful counter. After all, Valentín is quiet and firmly grounded in their present circumstances. Their gradual friendship and trust in each other make their circumstances all the more tragic. Jennifer Lopez’s Aurora is the beacon that awakens Valentín to possibilities. Lopez’s performance is good, and it’s clear she has fun with the role, drawing audiences into her enjoyment. The songs in the film are haunting. I definitely want to hear them again.
Shallow or Missing
A couple of issues I had were how they handled Luis’s identity and Valentín’s judgment of it. The film explores identity and sexual preference, but it feels a bit shallow, almost run-of-the-mill. Also, as we often see in musicals, there is a distinct lack of characters darker than a paper bag. Afro-Argentine people exist despite continuous attempts at erasure. Few musicals place Black actors front and center, and even fewer acknowledge that Afro-Hispanic or Afro-Latine exist. It would have been nice to see them, especially those with darker skin, depicted in this musical.
Kiss of the Spider Woman is an unexpected delight, especially for those who typically do not enjoy musicals. It carries audiences on a whirlwind journey that sweeps them away along with Valentín. Furthermore, it’s a testament to the strength of imagination and how it can provide a brief respite from a cruel reality. Kiss of the Spider Woman raises some questions, but prevails with grandiose visuals, sweeping music, and an earnest story of love, loss, music, and how the right people inspire you to become a better person who believes in yourself and the power of change.
