"The Tits Need More Gravity" (reviewed by AX)

I went in to FRIDA knowing basically nothing about its subject. I've been a fan of Salma Hayek ever since I laid eyes on her in DESPERADO, and I'm one of the very few people who thought director Julie Taymor's 1999 film adaptation of Shakespeare's TITUS was completely cool (Anthony Hopkins killing his enemies and serving them up baked in a pie to their parents...come on...that rocks). Those were my main reasons for checking FRIDA out.

So what did I learn? Well, Frida Kahlo (Hayek) was a Mexican woman who was in a really bad accident when she was a teenager, and took up painting while she was confined to a body cast following several operations. Unfortunately, although she did regain her ability to walk, she ended up having to live in constant physical pain the rest of her life, which reflected in the hundreds of paintings she did. Looking at Frida's work is an intense and wonderful experience because there are so many elements happening at once that are contrasting, yet fit together well. Her paintings are full of color and warmth, yet hit you over the head with horrific and painful images. They are surreal and yet still well-grounded in reality. They are depressing but energetic. They are kick ass.

The film itself is definitely in keeping with Frida's personality and the feel of her art, which is probably the thing that makes it stand out most from your average bio-pic. Taymor's deliberately off-center visual style is present througout, sometimes surreal and colorful, sometimes animated, and sometimes completely off the wall. For example, after Frida's accident, we are treated to a Tim Burton-like nightmarish stop-motion sequence depicting skeleton doctors working on Frida in the hospital. Later, Frida is in New York watching KING KONG, and daydreams herself into the film. Her husband Diego Rivera (played by Alfred Molina) scales the Empire State building and grabs her screaming from a window. And throughout the film, Frida's paintings are used as set pieces from which live actors emerge from the canvas. FRIDA has an exceptional visual style that makes the journey through this woman's life anything but boring.

Also, there are several surprise cameos here and there. Ashley Judd shows up at a party to do a sexy dance with Frida, Ed Norton plays Nelson Rockerfeller, and Geoffrey Rush plays Leo Trotsky (who gets busy with Frida at one point). And speaking of getting busy, this film is one for the books as it features the first real nude scenes ever from Salma Hayek. In DESPERADO you saw her naked for a half second, done in a blurry montage love scene that basically revealed nothing. After that, she (or her body double) showed ass-crack in WILD WILD WEST (a movie I adore that everyone else thinks is shit). In FRIDA there are at least 4 scenes where you get a good look at her breasts, and one lesbian love scene where you see basically everything. The mystery is gone, bucko.

Bottom line, Salma rules and FRIDA deserves a hell of a lot of praise. Director Julie Taymor has made a fitting tribute to the life of a truly tortured artist, and has done so with an unusual amount of fire and energy that you never see in films such as this. Hope the Oscars don't overlook this film.

(11.21.02)