Review of Frida (2002) by Matt G — 22 Jul 2008

What really redeems this film is acting and music in this film. It is successfully anchored by Hayek, who gives one of the best performances of her career. Mia Maestro, Ashley Judd, and Valeria Golino were pretty solid.

Alfred Molina and Geoffrey Rush really shined at certain parts of the film, but I expected more out of these fine actors. Where this film falls apart is the writing and the execution of that writing. I felt like certain parts of her life were rushed and it had an odd flow that never really worked.

Taymor also tried to introduced surrealist elements to the story and they just felt out of place most of the time. Also, I was bothered by the sexual themes in this film. The examinations of Diego Rivera's and Frida Kahlo sexual lives and affairs were explored on a such a surface level.

We didn't understand, empathize, or were explained why they were such oversexual beings. Instead of mining into their psyches or showing back story or focusing on their sexuality, it just portrayed their sexual acts.

I never really understood why they both would cheat on each other and why they sought pleasure any place they could outside their relationship. For these reasons, I felt like this film fell short of the possible potentially well-crafted and solid piece of art it could have been.