Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
The hit musical based on the life of Evita Duarte, an Argentinian actress who eventually became the wife of Argentinian president Juan Perón, and the most beloved and hated woman in Argentina.
Evita (1996) is a faithful, lavish adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's stage musical, directed by Alan Parker. Madonna's casting as Eva Perón generated considerable controversy, and her performance is committed if somewhat one-dimensional, though Antonio Banderas as Che brings charisma. The cinematography captures Buenos Aires grandly but is more functional than visionary. The plot follows the stage musical closely — a rise-to-power narrative told in song — which limits its cinematic novelty; it adds little that distinguishes it as a film beyond its source material. 'You Must Love Me,' written for the film, earned the Academy Award for Best Original Song, giving the ending a genuinely moving emotional beat. Overall a polished but unremarkable translation of a well-known stage property.