“Frida” (Miramax Pictures)
“Frida” is a labor of love for actress Salma Hayek. She is the moving force behind it and the one with the vision to get the film made. The movie tells the story of Frida Kahlo, a Mexican artist who lived life on her own terms. She had a distinct style in her paintings and a fiercely independent way of living her life.
When Frida (Hayek) was a young woman she was injured in a traffic accident. This accident nearly left her crippled and it caused her to suffer pain for the rest of her life. While confined to her bed she worked on her paintings and eventually took them to renowned artist Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina) for his opinion.
Diego not only encouraged her paintings, he stole her heart. Frida married him though he told her he could never be faithful to any woman. She said that loyalty was enough. The bulk of the film concerns their tumultuous relationship.
Hayek is good at exploring all aspects of Frida’s personality. Molina completely captures the selfish abandon of Diego. Valeria Golino is touching as the wife Diego laves behind when he becomes involved with Frida. Geoffrey Rush is unrecognizable as Leon Trotsky, another man whose path crosses Frida’s.
Ashley Judd, Edward Norton and Antonio Banderas appear briefly in the film. They do not have important roles but are there just to add star power.
The movie is rated R for profanity, violence and nudity.
Frida Kahlo lived a life that was shocking at the time. In today’s world people barely think twice about some of the things she did. As shown in the film, these exploits are intriguing but not impressive. This means the film is a character study that gets more tedious as the film progresses.
Salma Hayek was determined to bring the story of Frida Kahlo to the screen. This she has done. She has also provided a sparkling portrayal of the woman, one that gives the movie more appeal than it otherwise would have had. But overall the film is pointless and loses steam as the film winds its way through her life..
I scored “Frida” an abstract 5 out of 10.
©2003 Jackie K. Cooper
