Evita (1996) - 2nd time

Nominated for 5 Academy Awards:

Best Cinematography

Best Editing

Best Music, Original Song (WON)

Best Art Direction

Best Sound

I had plenty of reasons to be more subjective that usual with Evita, and yet here I am ready to declare this is not a good film, actually it adds up to even less than I remembered from 15-20 years ago, when I last saw it. I expected to be more lenient because 1) I love the soundtrack, as sang by Madonna: Another Suitcase in Another Hall and Lament are some of my all-time favourites. 2) I read about Eva Peron’s extremely painful suffering and ending, so the film opening with her death, on some heavy dramatic music, almost had me tear up.

But even considering my goodwill towards the film and the story, it still fails. I would put most blame on the directing and the screenplay, since the final result is cramped with too many musical numbers, too many… irrelevant moments, too many extras, too many explosions, weird camera angles and really missing some more honest scenes (like the one at the end). To me, the film should’ve been more intimate and not try to be some kind of epic or grand production. Too much time is wasted on songs performed by extras, and also revolutionaries we don’t care about.

Oddly enough, the film suffers the most when Madonna is NOT on screen, and I missed her for a large portion of the second half. I am hesitant to give a verdict on her performance, which isn’t great, maybe not even good, but it’s surely not bad. It does lack charisma (also she feels too old for the part) and she is not helping too much (outside of her beautiful singing) in creating a more meaningful character, that feels more real and emotional and likeable.

I give it: 5/10

IMDB LINK