Recently, Jennifer Lopez has appeared in a few popular Netflix films, whether it's The Mother or Atlas. She was obviously the big name in these movies, as she still has that special aura even in her fifties. However, the quality of these action films is another matter. Thankfully, there’s life beyond Netflix’s genre films, and a good example of this is the recent Kiss of the Spider Woman musical drama, which was shown at the Sundance Film Festival and received a standing ovation from the audience. The critical reception has also been favorable so far. There are only a few images available from the film, which we’ve embedded, but perhaps the more interesting photo is the one that JLo shared from her festival appearance. Or rather, we think the spider dress is pretty cool!
Variety reported that Kiss of the Spider Woman was met with a standing ovation from the Sundance audience, which moved Lopez to tears. The actress commented on the event and how special it was to be part of the novel adaptation, as the film is based on a 1976 Manuel Puig book (originally adapted into the 1985 Brazilian film Kiss of the Spider Woman, starring William Hurt, who won an Oscar for his performance). Here’s what Lopez said:
"I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life. I wanted to work in this industry because my mom once sat me down in front of the TV, and every year they showed West Side Story. It enchanted me, and after seeing it, I told myself I wanted to do this too. This was the first time I was able to actually shoot a musical. This person made my dream come true."
"This person" is Bill Condon, the writer-director (known for Beauty and the Beast and Chicago), who was naturally present at the Sundance premiere. He also shared similar sentiments about Kiss of the Spider Woman, saying he’s been contemplating how and when to bring this adaptation to life. But what’s the story about?
Kiss of the Spider Woman is an LGBTQ-themed drama set mostly in an Argentine prison during the 1980s, during the Dirty War (a period of military dictatorship when leftist intellectuals and homosexuals were persecuted in Argentina). One of the main characters, Luis, is a gay hairdresser (played by Tonatiuh), who ends up in prison for eight years because of his sexual orientation. To escape the horrors of the institution, he creates a fantasy world, inventing movies for himself, one of which features a real femme fatale, whose kiss is deadly (played by Lopez). A new Marxist prisoner, Valentin (Diego Luna), brings him back to reality, and an intimate relationship develops between the two.
As we mentioned earlier, Kiss of the Spider Woman has received mostly positive reviews, and out of ten reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, six say Condon’s musical drama is a success. Many praised Tonatiuh’s performance as the lead, as well as the visual style, while some criticized the film’s length (it’s over two hours) and the fact that every time Jennifer Lopez appears, she steals the focus, even though the story is meant to focus on the relationship between the two men.
Tonatiuh, who was born in Los Angeles, shared that it wasn’t easy for him to succeed as a feminine, queer man in the masculine Latin culture. He’s always fought to make his voice heard, to be accepted, and to accept himself. That’s why the script was so important to him when he received it, as he considers this film a milestone in his career:
"When I was approached with this material and read it, I knew I spiritually understood the person I was playing. I was able to understand someone who felt like an eternal loser in their life and had to become a hero by proving it to themselves through falling in love."
Kiss of the Spider Woman is currently awaiting distribution, with Searchlight Pictures and Mubi already showing interest.
