Kiss of the Spider Woman (M) – 128 minutes

A musical within a political drama, Kiss of the Spider Woman is based on the musical (which opened in the West End in 1992) and book (1976) of the same name.

During what was termed the Dirty War in Argentina, between 1974 and 1983, the military junta engaged in state terrorism.

During this period 30,000 people were killed or imprisoned.

The storyline in Kiss of the Spider Woman is drawn from that period.

Gay window dresser Luis Molina (Tonatiuh), who is close to his ailing mother, is sentenced to eight years for sexual offences, being public indecency in a bathroom.

Flamboyant and talkative, he is thrown into the same cell as taciturn Valentin Arregui (Diego Luna), a political dissident involved in a revolutionary group.

At first, Arregui is irritated by Molina, who has been put there by the warden (Bruno Bichir) to rat on his cell mate, who is holding secrets about the group.

But over time – as Molina outlines the plot of his favourite movie, Kiss of the Spider Woman – Arregui finds himself drawn to Molina and vice versa.

Molina inserts himself and Arregui into the action in the movie, which harks back to the Golden Years of Hollywood.

It involves Molina’s favourite actress, Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez) playing a successful magazine publisher named Aurora.

She is attended to by her devoted personal assistant, Kendall Nesbitt (Tonatiuh).

She falls in love with her photographer, Armando (Diego Luna), while accompanying him on a shoot in their home village.

The story takes a couple of twists involving Armando’s old flame Paulina (Aline Mayagoitia) and an antagonistic gangster, Johnny Desiderio (Tony Dovolani).

But the kicker comes when Ingrid Luna learns about a deal to protect the village from malevolent spirits, involving a sacrifice of a native woman’s lover.

The deal has been struck with the Spider Woman (Jennifer Lopez again).

As events unfold, Luis Molina’s fate in and out of jail is inextricably linked to the story of the Spider Woman.

The original psychological drama film version of Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985) saw William Hurt as Molina claim the Best Actor Oscar.

That film was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.

This 2025 version is more of a mixed bag.

I am not convinced that the movie, written and directed by Bill Condon, who wrote the screenplay for Chicago, has succeeded the way he intended it to.

Amidst the intrigue, I found the imaginary Hollywood film musical showcased in this 2025 iteration of Kiss of the Spider Woman lightweight and unconvincing.

Nor was I convinced by Jennifer Lopez’ roles in it. I felt she was miscast.

Far more substantive was Tonatiuh as Luis Molina and Diego Luna as Valentin Arregui.

It is Arregui’s story of hardship and deprivation that carries the film.

It is only when Arregui allows himself to open up that a real relationship with Molina can develop.

Tonatiuh is the star of the show, driving the action with panache and vulnerability.

Diego Luna transitions Arregui well from surly to needy.

While there is a lot in the plotting, Kiss of the Spider Woman ends up being less substantive than I would have liked it to be, due to its unevenness.

I venture to suggest revisiting the 1985 film or visiting it for the first time, if you haven’t before, would be worthwhile.

This version scores a 6 out of 10.