Film Review 1: Frida

Frida (2002)

Director: Julie Taymor

Cast:  

Salma Hayek -  Frida Kahlo

Alfred Molina  - Diego Rivera

Geoffrey Rush - Leon Trotsky

Ashley Judd  - Tina Modotti

Antonio Banderas - David Alfaro Siqueiros

 

Synopsis:

Salma Hayek ages some 30 years onscreen as she charts Frida Kahlo's life from feisty schoolgirl to Diego Rivera protégée to world-renowned artist in her own right. Frida details Kahlo's affluent upbringing in Mexico City, and her nurturing relationship with her traditional mother and philosophical father. Having already suffered the crippling effects of polio, Kahlo sustains further injuries when a city bus accident nearly ends her life. But in her bed-ridden state, the young artist produces dozens upon dozens of pieces; when she recovers, she presents them to the legendary -- and legendarily temperamental -- Rivera, who takes her under his wing as an artist, a political revolutionary, and, inevitably, a lover. But their relationship is fraught with trouble, as the philandering Rivera traverses the globe painting murals, and Kahlo languishes in obscurity, longing to make her mark on her own.

 

Review:

Frida Kahlo was a young woman, who suffered from excruciating back pain after the accident but courageously endured it. Having found joy in painting, Frida decided to become an artist, so that she went to Diego Rivera, her future husband, for some pieces of advice. Soon they got married. Their married life was fully of complications and scandals, nevertheless Rivera stayed with Frida to the rest to her life.

I was pleasantly surprised by the actors' performance. I could never imagine that Salma Hayek is really good at dramas and such complicated characters. She is really talanted. Also it was nice to recognize actors from others films, which I liked, for example, Geoffrey Rush from King's Speech, Antonio Banderas The Mask of Zorro. All of them made this film so vivid and truthful.

Frida really impressed me, not because of some eccentric scenes, but because of the woman's struggle to life, her willpower and her talant. And of course, the fact, that Frida Kahlo is a real person, couldn't leave anybody indifferent. After watching this film, I googled about Frida at once. I was really amazed that the film script was written exactly on her biography.