Episode 494: Emilia Pérez, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever reviews

·21 min·2 clips

A Mexican drug cartel kingpin hires Zoe Saldaña's lawyer to facilitate his gender affirmation surgery to become Emilia Pérez.

The episode begins with a GoFundMe ad and an acknowledgment of Election Day stress, encouraging listeners to take a break. Christy and Alonso introduce the two films they're reviewing: Emilia Pérez and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. They dive into Emilia Pérez, describing it as a Cannes award-winner and France's Oscar entry, though it's a Spanish-language film set in Mexico. The plot involves a drug cartel kingpin named Manitas, played by trans performer Carlos Sofía Gascon, who hires lawyer Rita, played by Zoe Saldaña, to facilitate gender affirmation surgery to become Emilia Pérez. The film is a musical with unconventional, non-catchy songs that spring organically from settings like SUVs or markets. Christy admires its ambition but finds it emotionally superficial, while Alonso critiques its trans representation, noting tropes like faking death and feeling it's a cis filmmaker's take. They compare it to Almodóvar's style but wish Almodóvar had directed it. Both give it scores around 5.5, praising its daring but unsatisfying narrative. Next, they review The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, based on a beloved book and previously a 1983 TV movie. The story follows the Herdmans, a group of poor, troublemaking kids who take over a church's Christmas pageant. Christy was surprised by its quality, expecting heavy-handed faith messaging but finding it subtle and moving. Alonso notes it avoids making atheists the villains, instead criticizing snobby churchgoers. They praise Judy Greer and Pete Holmes's performances and the kids' authenticity. Christy gives it a 7.2, Alonso a 7, calling it a wholesome family option. The episode ends with a Coffee Bros ad and closing remarks.

As heard by us

Christy and Alonzo compare two Friday releases through ambition, performance, production values, and faith-based filmmaking.

Christy and Alonzo use two very different Friday releases to weigh what ambition looks like at opposite ends of the movie calendar. Their deeper attention goes to Netflix's Cannes award winner Emilia Perez, where lurid color, melodramatic soapiness, and an Almodovar influence…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You get a brisk election-day breather: Emilia Perez as the Cannes-winning Netflix swing, then a check-in on faith-based production values.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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