It’s that time of year again as the doldrums of January cinema took a backseat to the annual awards circuit. The 82nd Golden Globes Awards were the first major ceremony of the year, testing the waters for its big brother Oscar in a couple of months. By curtain call, it was clear the Globes’ expanded, diversified voting body, which debuted last year, selected some inspired choices at the voting booth. Also evident and infecting festivals, guilds and other ceremonies across the globe: The “Emilia Pérez” problem.

The “Emilia Pérez” problem:

“Emilia Pérez,” directed by Frenchman Jacques Audiard, is a musical crime-thriller about a Mexican cartel boss seeking a sex change. The film scored a night-topping four trophies, including Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by a Female Actress in a Supporting Role (Zoe Saldaña), Best Motion Picture — Non-English Language and Best Original Song (“El Mal”). To put it lightly, the internet erupted in disagreement.

Currently sitting at a lowly 2.7 rating on Letterboxd, “Emilia Pérez” is one of the most widely disliked awards titans ever, inhabiting a similar space as 2004’s Best Picture-winning “Crash” — the poster child of the industry-audience divide.

I found “Emilia Pérez” conceptually flawed and clumsily executed. Even its good performances can’t save its razor-thin characters and unfocused story. The music is mostly awful and a nauseating distraction from the tone and subject matter. Tackling transgender identity and Mexican cartel violence, Audiard bites off more than he can chew, underserving meaning in place of superficiality.

“Emilia Pérez” stumbles hardest with inauthenticity, inaccurately and unsympathetically portraying marginalized voices. Letterboxd user comrade_yui dug into the film’s emptiness, claiming it’s “so alienated from the experience of lived trans identity that it gets many basic facts wrong.” The film poses as something profound, answering current societal questions in a sensationalized attempt rather than a challenging or thought-provoking result.
Even worse, “Emilia Pérez” postures as a Mexican story, boasting Mexican characters and examining Mexican issues. But the film was shot in France, written and directed by a white, cisgender French man and chiefly performed by non-Mexican actors (Selena Gomez’s accent sticks out like a sore thumb). Audiard has faced criticism for his lack of research on the topics he so boldly writes about. “I didn’t study much,” Audiard said to NBC News. “What I had to understand, I knew.”

Mexican screenwriter Héctor Guillén took to X to shepherd his complaints to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. “Mexico hates Emilia Pérez,” Guillén said. “Racist, Eurocentric mockery.”

Doing more damage than good and enjoyed by virtually no one, “Emilia Pérez” is this year’s awards villain. Only time will tell if the Academy listens to the backlash.

Nikki Glaser:

You probably don’t recall Jo Koy, last year’s Globes host, who has returned to obscurity since crashing and burning on live television. Luckily, comedian Nikki Glaser was there to save the night — the first solo woman to host the event. Yes, lazy and cringy jokes were present in typical awards show fashion, but Glaser committed to each bit without a sweat. Her stage presence carried the night along swiftly, which included a smattering of funny gags. Uncontroversial, audience-friendly and charming, Glaser has already been invited back for round two next year.

Exciting Wins:

The “Emilia Pérez” debacle aside, there were plenty of encouraging handouts throughout the night. Though no surprise, Kieran Culkin scored a much-deserved victory for his brilliant supporting role as Benji in “A Real Pain.” Demi Moore ousted strong competition for her brave, monstrous performance as Elisabeth Sparkle in “The Substance.” Sebastian Stan, also nominated for his Trump transformation in “The Apprentice,” was recognized for his work in “A Different Man.”

Non-acting upsets included wins for “Challengers” in Best Original Score and “Flow” for Best Animated Feature Film — both excellent, unexpected picks. Though many people, including myself, have yet to see “The Brutalist,” it rose to a possible lead in the Best Picture race, nabbing three huge awards.

The Golden Globes were a confusing mix of hope and dread, awarding deserving underdogs and one problematic frontrunner. The countdown to Hollywood’s biggest night — Oscar night — begins now.