Carmen, 2023.
Directed by Benjamin Millepied.
Starring Melissa Barrera, Paul Mescal, Rossy de Palma, Elsa Pataky, Nicole da Silva, Tara Morice, Benedict Hardie, Kaan Guldur, Pip Edwards, Nico Cortez, Kevin MacIsaac, Richard Brancatisano, Ryan Oliver Gelbart, Corey London, Alejandro Corsino, Marina Tamayo, and Sadie Thornton.
SYNOPSIS:
Benjamin Millepied’s complete reimagining of Carmen tells a story through an experimental dreamscape featuring an original score and songs.
Carmen is one of the world’s most well known operas from the French composer Georges Bizet, and there have been many interpretations on stage and screen of the renowned work over the years. The latest, and one of the most radical approaches to the story, is from French dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied, making his directorial debut and working heavily with composer Nicholas Britell (Star Wars: Andor, Succession) to bring his distinctive vision to life.
This version of Carmen stars In The Heights and Scream’s Melissa Barerra in the titular role here as a Mexican immigrant entering the US and soon finding herself on the run with Paul Mescal’s Aidan, a down-on-his-luck Border patrol officer, as the pair strike up a rapport as they flee to LA. The cast is rounded out by Pedro Almodovar regular Rossy De Palma as the mysterious Masilda.
Millepied’s distinctive vision and unique approach to the story is one of the main draws, built heavily around Britell’s score and some incredible dance sequences, with the main narrative intersecting with some dream-like interludes that never feel unwelcome and give this take on Carmen its own vibe. Britell’s score does a lot of heavy lifting, seamlessly shifting between the dance sequences and main narratives and has come in for high praise.
Barrera and Mescal are commendable as the leads, showing why both their stars are on the rise. Barrera captures Carmen’s vulnerability and determination, and while Aidan might not be fully fleshed out, Mescal shows his screen presence and range in this, a departure from his recent roles in God’s Creatures and Aftersun.
The tonal jumps don’t always quite gel and this is perhaps to be expected from Millepied’s debut, but it is certainly an ambitious swing, and it will be intriguing to see how he follows this up. Approaching it as a fresh take on a tried and tested story means it doesn’t have to be compared to previous takes and it is certainly topical, offering commentary on US immigration. Despite this, the tone is never quite consistent as it veers from a musical to melodrama and social commentary; perhaps had it settled on one identity it may have been a more cohesive film.
Carmen is a fresh take on the famous story, cleverly transposing the setting to the US and Mexico and showing its relevance to the 21st century. If elements are undercooked, Nicholas Britell’s distinctive ccore and Millepied’s ambitious direction make it an intriguing, unorthodox watch. Melissa Barrera and Paul Mescal have strong chemistry with the pair on screen for much of its runtime and it is yet another example of Mescal’s range and the types of projects he is picking, again underlining why he is so sought after. It is an almost fever-dream like film that is hard to pin down but having a tighter focus and exploring some of its themes may have pushed it to another level. It will be intriguing to see how and if Millepied follows this idiosyncratic take on Carmen.
SEE ALSO: Exclusive Interview – Melissa Barrera talks Carmen
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Chris Connor
Originally published April 26, 2023. Updated May 1, 2023.
