Evita (B+ or 3/4 stars)
I love Broadway musicals; particularly ones by Andrew Lloyd Webber. So when I heard that a film adaptation of 'Evita' (directed by Alan Parker) was being made, I had high hopes. The end result? I enjoyed it. The musical numbers have tons of energy. But I wasn't bowled over by greatness. 'Evita' tells the amazing true story of Eva Duarte, a lowly Argentinian model/actress who became the wife of President (and dictator) Juan Peron. She had a hit & miss kind of life; loved, hated & then revered again. But let's start at the beginning (sort of). This whimsical film actually opens with a flash forward to Evita's funeral, but it then transports us back to her roots: born in 1919, Eva was the bastard daughter of a man who died when she was only 7 (there's an interesting juxtaposition to her throwing flowers on her father's grave with the thousands of people coming to visit her own casket 26 yrs. later).
In her teens, Eva (Madonna) uses an affair with a Latin singer to enable a move from her family's poor, rural home to Buenos Aires. A brunt of the film shows us her early years, being discovered, wooing men (for her own personal & professional gain), becoming a radio/film star, meeting & wedding eventual president, Juan Peron (Jonathan Pryce), & becoming a heroine to the people of Argentina. She's able to both - make her husband look good in office, AND use her celebrity to better the lot of Argentina's women & lower classes. Now, the Peron's definitely hit some rough patches (politically). And the film takes liberty of making both her & Juan to be, perhaps, a bit more saintly than they really were (she had her egomaniacal moments. And he, not as amiable as perceived). But overall, the spirit of Eva Peron rings true. The film concludes with her affliction of the cancer that killed her at age 33. Millions mourned her (something similar to JFK's death).
'Evita' tells Eva Peron's iconic story almost entirely in song (including most of the dialogue). Some of the spoken word/music transitions are awkwardly handled. But overall, I was impressed. There are many show-stopping numbers: Don't Cry for Me, Argentina (being the most well-known), A New Argentina, High Flying Adored, Rainbow Tour, And The Money Kept Rolling In (And Out), You Must Love Me, & countless others. All of these numbers are staged well, accompanied well, choreographed well, sung well, & executed with energy. Madonna is a decent actress & a good singer. And you can tell she really did her homework; both on learning the details of Eva's life - and also improving her singing skills to meet 'Broadway Musical' standards.
That said, Madonna comes off as somewhat 'impersonal' in real life. And it does cut in & out of her performance, here. But I still applaud her enigmatic portrayal. Jonathan Pryce sings well, but then, he has a history in musical theater. And Antonio Banderas (our cheeky narrator) acquits himself very well. Not only does he sing well (and with passion), but I really enjoyed his witty, cynical depictions of nearly everything Eva Peron did. WE saw her every grand move. But he was always there in the background (as a barometer) to shed light on Eva's habitually negative qualities, too.
'Evita' is dazzling & beautiful. The editing of certain sequences made the hairs on my arms stand up. The cinematography is great (smokey streets of the countryside, the vivid lights of Buenos Aires). The sets are wonderful (great attention to indoor/outdoor details). The choreography (including hundreds of extras) is excellent. The costumes are amazing. And the sound (all that music & singing) is crisp. 'Evita' is a spectacle. All that said - and throughout its 135 minutes - I found the movie a bit lacking in soul & personality. The music does SO much to aid narrative propulsion & character interaction that you wish there was more to the actual story/character depth. I feel like there had to be more complexity to her story. It could have been more resonant; more ambitious. Still, I think it's a good movie. If you don't like musicals (or Andrew Lloyd Webber, haha), then don't see this movie, you'll hate it. If you love 'em, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
In her teens, Eva (Madonna) uses an affair with a Latin singer to enable a move from her family's poor, rural home to Buenos Aires. A brunt of the film shows us her early years, being discovered, wooing men (for her own personal & professional gain), becoming a radio/film star, meeting & wedding eventual president, Juan Peron (Jonathan Pryce), & becoming a heroine to the people of Argentina. She's able to both - make her husband look good in office, AND use her celebrity to better the lot of Argentina's women & lower classes. Now, the Peron's definitely hit some rough patches (politically). And the film takes liberty of making both her & Juan to be, perhaps, a bit more saintly than they really were (she had her egomaniacal moments. And he, not as amiable as perceived). But overall, the spirit of Eva Peron rings true. The film concludes with her affliction of the cancer that killed her at age 33. Millions mourned her (something similar to JFK's death).
'Evita' tells Eva Peron's iconic story almost entirely in song (including most of the dialogue). Some of the spoken word/music transitions are awkwardly handled. But overall, I was impressed. There are many show-stopping numbers: Don't Cry for Me, Argentina (being the most well-known), A New Argentina, High Flying Adored, Rainbow Tour, And The Money Kept Rolling In (And Out), You Must Love Me, & countless others. All of these numbers are staged well, accompanied well, choreographed well, sung well, & executed with energy. Madonna is a decent actress & a good singer. And you can tell she really did her homework; both on learning the details of Eva's life - and also improving her singing skills to meet 'Broadway Musical' standards.
That said, Madonna comes off as somewhat 'impersonal' in real life. And it does cut in & out of her performance, here. But I still applaud her enigmatic portrayal. Jonathan Pryce sings well, but then, he has a history in musical theater. And Antonio Banderas (our cheeky narrator) acquits himself very well. Not only does he sing well (and with passion), but I really enjoyed his witty, cynical depictions of nearly everything Eva Peron did. WE saw her every grand move. But he was always there in the background (as a barometer) to shed light on Eva's habitually negative qualities, too.
'Evita' is dazzling & beautiful. The editing of certain sequences made the hairs on my arms stand up. The cinematography is great (smokey streets of the countryside, the vivid lights of Buenos Aires). The sets are wonderful (great attention to indoor/outdoor details). The choreography (including hundreds of extras) is excellent. The costumes are amazing. And the sound (all that music & singing) is crisp. 'Evita' is a spectacle. All that said - and throughout its 135 minutes - I found the movie a bit lacking in soul & personality. The music does SO much to aid narrative propulsion & character interaction that you wish there was more to the actual story/character depth. I feel like there had to be more complexity to her story. It could have been more resonant; more ambitious. Still, I think it's a good movie. If you don't like musicals (or Andrew Lloyd Webber, haha), then don't see this movie, you'll hate it. If you love 'em, I don't think you'll be disappointed.