Ema

As "Ema" (2019 release from Chile; 107 min.) opens, we see a traffic light on fire, literally. As the camera scans back, we see a woman (Ema) walking away while she is holding a flamethrower. We then get to know Ema, a modern ballet dancer, and her husband Gaston, a troupe's choreographer. They argue back and forth about the fate of their 9 yr. Old child Polo, whom they had adopted but recently was taken away by (or turned in to?) the Children's Protection Services. What did Polo do exactly? At this point we are less than 10 min. Into the movie but to tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the latest movie from Chilean director Pablo Lorrain. In fact it's his first movie since directing hos Hollywood debut in 2016 with the widely acclaimed "Jackie". For "Ema", he returns to Chile, and more specifically the Pacific Ocean town Valparaiso (itself a character and star in this film). The film is a fascinating mix of a family and relationship drama on the one hand, and more abstract observations on the other hand, topped off with a generous dose of reggaeton music and modern dancing. Beware: the movie features a LOT of nudity, so if that is an issue for you, I'd suggest you check out something else. The cast is for us Americans completely unknown, but kudos to Mariana Di Girolamo, who is just fantastic in the title role.

As noted in the film's end credits, the entire movie was filmed in Valparaiso in September of 2018. It premiered a year later at the 2019 Venice Film Festival. Then COVID messed up a theatrical release in the US. Now 3 years later after shooting, the movie had gotten a limited theatrical release in the US. It opened this weekend at my local arthouse theater here in Cincinnati, and I couldn't wait to see it. The early Saturday evening screening where I saw this at turned out to be a private screening. I literally was the only person in the theater. Never mind. If you are in the mood for a top notch foreign family and relationship drama, I'd readily suggest you check this out, be it in the theater (while you still can), on VOD, or on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

Pros: 1. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, especially considering the colour gradient and the superb slow camera movements. 2. Both Gael García Bernal (Gastón) and Mariana Di Girolamo (Ema) both give fantastic performances. 3. The dance scenes are greatly choreographed and are completely entrancing. 4. The emotional scenes between Ema and Gastón conversing about their failings with Polo (Cristián Suárez) and their relationship since Polo, land powerfully. 5. The score is mesmerising and it lathers the movie in emotional richness, and is always utilised effectively. 6. The sex scenes are incredibly sensual, intimate, and they succinctly highlight the depth of where Ema will go for Polo.

Cons: 1. The pacing is a little too slow at certain points, with some scenes lasting too long. 2. The plot is rather unfocused at times and it sometimes loses its way in regards to the story-telling. 3. The flame-thrower scenes, although visually enrapturing, are utterly pointless.

Some youngsters may get something out of this, certainly more than I. Somewhat alienated by the overlong 'dance' sequence at the start and the introduction of a most unattractive looking women who struck me as psychotic from the start did not bode well. As things became a little clearer regarding the 'lost' child, so concerns for all around the mother grew. Mixed with the horrors of the limitless damage a ruthless, manipulative and vengeful, crazy woman might wreak we have pyrotechnics. At once spectacular and diverting they also added to the feeling that all was terribly wrong. Unfortunately as the troubled Ema insinuated herself within the lives of those she wished to influence story development is paused for sex scenes. I understand that no film from Chile may be considered complete without such scenes and here they were well done but sat most uncomfortably within the story supposedly around the fate of a young boy. Not terrible then but for me this seemed confused and unfocused.

A departure for Chilean Director Pablo Larrain from his string of historical dramas (NO, NERUDA, JACKIE and the Princess Di biopic, SPENCER), his latest concerns Ema, a free-spirited young dancer (Mariana Di Girolamo) who is in a dissolving marriage from her older husband and choreographer, Gaston (Gael Garcia Bernal). They have given up their son for adoption and the reprisals have only intensified. The general outline has all the makings of a psychological thriller, but, Larrain and his co-writers are operating on a number of gears.

Ema, with her shock of cropped platinum blond hair, is a veritable flamethrower constantly sending out verbal and behavioral missives without inhibition. She is omnisexual and voracious. By contrast, Gaston is still and taciturn. Di Girolamo dives headlong into her character, leaving Bernal seeming even more tame than the part requires. Larrain has said that the actors weren't given the full script ahead of time, which may have hampered Bernal more than some of the other, less experienced, cast members.

Well photographed by Sergio Armstrong and experimentally scored by Nicolas Jaar, EMA has an icy sheen that can be alternately alluring and distancing - not unlike it's title character. It's certainly never less than interesting and there is a payoff of sorts, but the chaotic screenplay weakens its overall impact. Still, for the adventurous viewer, this is like a heady fractured adult nursery rhyme. Oh, and there are flamethrowers!

A traffic light burns late at night in Valparaiso. This strange opening scene sets an unusual and colorful tone for the rest of Ema. Gradually it is understood how the light caught fire. Mysterious undercurrents and unusual passions swirl in human hearts. Dialogue, setting, music, dance scenes and characters follow similar rhythms and are typified most by Ema herself. She is a ball of fire. Energetic, devious and unpredictable, she prowls the streets of Valparaiso seeking sparks to reignite her damaged marriage, abandonment of her adopted son, struggling dance career and volatile self.

Sometimes there is no script. This is true in acting as well as life. According to Pablo Larrain at the Toronto international film festival, the actors received plot cues only at the last minute. Fluidity and dynamism were the results. The actors explored a new language. Traditional boundaries were also pushed with sexuality, family, the atmospheric and hypnotic music, dance and more. The film toys with notions of what is feminine and masculine. Mariana di Girolamo (Ema) is perfect for the role. Gael Garcia Bernal (Ema's hubby Gaston) is reunited with Pablo Larrain (nominated for three Oscars for the film Jackie). While I prefer thought and depth to the dialogue, the non-scripted acting achieves some intriguing results. The Valparaiso scenery is as thrilling as Mariana di Girolamo.