Frida (2002)

User Review

• 

  Barneyonmovies

  9 / 10

  WHAT I LIKED: Julie Taymor's 'Frida,' is an incredibly fascinating study of a fascinatingly incredible life, but what makes this film even better than a simple biopic is the way it builds an immersive and socially-relevant picture of Frida Khalo's surrounding world too. Yes whilst the amazing Salma Hayek delivers a perfect performance and portrays this infamous Mexican artist and activist with all the passion, darkness and intrigue you could throw a paintbrush at, Taymor also appropriately pushes her story to explore the social climate of the time to just the right extent so that you really understand the culture, the oppression and the politics that shaped Frida's amazing and tragic life. This is done by creating a wonderful depiction of Mexico's vibrant culture with the brilliant set-design and score as well as actively exploring the way the politics affected lives, and in the end this means you can engage with it all on a level that transcends to struggles all around the world. Seriously, from feminism to class divide, this film really does end up tackling some big issues, and that's not only appropriate in a story about Frida Khalo; it's also arguably necessary. They've done a perfect job here then, and this film - and this incredible woman - deserve more recognition than they get.
  WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: The odd moment does feel a little episodic.
  VERDICT: A biopic about an incredible woman that's just as in-touch with the stuff around her, 'Frida,' is an emotional and thematically-grounded piece of work that deserves more recognition than it gets.

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