Reviews
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Kiss of the Spider Woman arrives with plenty of awards-season buzz, none more so than for star Jennifer Lopez. That excitement comes as no surprise with filmmaker Bill Condon at the helm, given his impressive track record of bringing musicals to the big screen. Yet despite those two cinematic powerhouses, it was the quietly understated performance of relative newcomer Tonatiuh that left me most surprised.
Set amid political unrest in 1983 Argentina in a time when an estimated 30,000 civilians were killed or imprisoned, Kiss of the Spider Woman follows two men from opposite worlds who find themselves sharing a prison cell. Valentín Arregui (Diego Luna), a political activist jailed for his revolutionary beliefs, is hardened by his cause and mistrustful of others. His cellmate, Luis Molina (Tonatiuh), a gentle and imaginative window dresser imprisoned for his homosexuality, copes with confinement by escaping into elaborate retellings of an old Hollywood musical about the mysterious star Aurora, played by Jennifer Lopez.
It soon becomes apparent that Luis’s transfer to the political wing of the prison is deliberate, part of an attempt to extract information from his activist cellmate. As his retelling of the musical continues and the days blur into nights, the two men form an unlikely bond through stories, music, and shared vulnerability. What begins as a clash of ideals gradually transforms into a meditation on love, identity, and the power of imagination to resist oppression.
Under Bill Condon’s direction, the film moves seamlessly between the fantasy of the musical sequences and the grim reality the cellmates face together. The relationship between Valentín and Luis is built slowly and deliberately over the first two acts, giving the story a striking sense of authenticity. These quieter moments are, in fact, the most emotionally resonant and easily the best scenes in the film. Despite being billed as a musical, it’s the tender, grounded exchanges between the two cellmates that outshine the glitzy, if less memorable, musical numbers, an unexpected but welcome surprise.
A lot of that praise belongs to Tonatiuh and Diego Luna, whose on-screen chemistry is nothing short of sensational. From the initial distrust and standoffishness to the gradual breaking down of walls as both men expose their vulnerabilities, their performances are exquisite. Without acting of this caliber, the film could easily have lost its emotional footing, and the prison sequences might have felt static or disjointed. Instead, their connection gives the story a raw, deeply human resonance.
Much of the pre-release discussion and awards buzz has centered on Jennifer Lopez’s performance. While she’s a strong addition to the film, particularly in showcasing her impressive vocal range, her role ultimately takes a back seat to the two leads. That’s not a knock on Lopez, who delivers one of her best performances in recent memory, but rather a reflection of the less memorable material she’s given. As a result, she doesn’t stand out as much as I anticipated.
One reason Lopez’s performance feels somewhat forgettable lies in the musical numbers themselves. While Condon’s earlier work such as Chicago and The Greatest Showman featured a slate of instantly memorable songs, Kiss of the Spider Woman falls short in that regard. Despite its dazzling set pieces and elaborate choreography, not a single tune lingers once the credits roll, leaving the film’s musical side overshadowed by its far stronger emotional core.
The final act feels somewhat underwhelming compared to the strength of the first two. The development of Valentín and Luis takes a sudden, drastic turn, shifting from methodical growth to breakneck speed almost instantly. Despite a runtime of 2 hours and 8 minutes, a few extra minutes to flesh out the final act could have made it significantly more emotionally resonant.
Kiss of the Spider Woman is one of those rare musicals that may appeal more to audiences who don’t typically enjoy the genre. The whirlwind emotional journey it presents, combined with the enduring relevance of its source material in an ever-evolving world, is bound to resonate with viewers of all kinds.
