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Watching Jennifer Lopez hoof it in an old-school Hollywood musical is a sight – like where has this been all our lives? – though she isn’t even the best part of “Kiss of the Spider Woman.”
Director Bill Condon (“Dreamgirls,” “Beauty and the Beast”) is back in the land of song-and-dance with this immersive adaptation (★★★ out of four; rated R; in theaters Oct. 10) of the intriguingly structured Kander and Ebb show. The main plot is set in an Argentinian prison circa 1983 and the musical part is a movie-within-the-movie escape for two political prisoners. Lopez struts and vamps like an A-list champ, Diego Luna oozes gravitas, but everybody – and hopefully some Oscar voters – will remember this “Kiss” as a star-making turn for the fabulous Tonatiuh.
The mononymously named newcomer stars as Luis Molina, a gay window dresser arrested by the military dictatorship and thrown in jail for public indecency. He’s the new cellmate of activist Valentin Arregui (Diego Luna), a grumpy sort who’s at first put off by Molina’s spirited personality and movie posters on the wall. Molina’s mom was a theater usherette who’d leave him to watch movies when he was a kid, and his favorite of all time was “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” starring the legendary Ingrid Luna (Lopez).
In between the guards coming in to torture and/or poison them, Molina passes the time by telling the story of the film, which comes alive on screen with eye-popping color and well-choreographed showstoppers. Valentin at first doesn’t care but quickly becomes enraptured by the melodramatic story of a magazine fashion editor (Lopez), her assistant (Tonatiuh), a photographer love interest (Luna) and the mysterious Spider Woman (also Lopez).
Valentin also grows closer to Molina and tells him that he’s got information that the warden (Bruno Bichir) wants. What Molina does with that information infuses the gripping drama that makes “Spider Woman” so emotionally affecting. Themes of love and sacrifice are reflected in the parallel narratives, and Tonatiuh and Luna spark a chemistry that creates amazing depth of character.
Tonatiuh effortlessly glides between magnetic flamboyance and heart-wrenching vulnerability, and even outshines Lopez in their scenes together − one such moment occurs when the Spider Woman comes to Molina in prison, breaking the escapism for a memorable sequence. Tonatiuh croons a few ballads, though Lopez skillfully takes on most of the heavy musical work.
It’s that showstopping aspect of “Spider Woman,” however, that lacks the right razzle-dazzle compared with the more thoughtful prison scenes. Sure, there's a definite shift of styles between the grim, cramped jail cell and a lavish Hollywood musical, but the latter seems almost subdued. Those musical numbers scream for a more extreme contrast, with more pop and sizzle than they're given, to make sense as the escape Molina desperately needs. That said, at least Lopez does her part and seems to be enjoying herself harnessing a little camp as the Spider Woman, with a webby gown, sultry looks and a signature melody that you can’t get out of your head for a week.
There aren't enough movie musicals in general, and especially not enough that experiment with the form like “Spider Woman.” With a satisfying tale that leans timely given the film’s political bent and a knockout performance by Tonatiuh, it might even weave you breathless.
Where to watch 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'
"Kiss of the Spider Woman," starring Jennifer Lopez and Diego Luna, is in theaters nationwide Oct. 10. The movie musical is rated R by the Motion Picture Association "for language, sexual content and some violence."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jennifer Lopez vamps like a champ in 'Kiss of the Spider Woman': Review
Reporting by Brian Truitt, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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