Sundance Review: Jennifer Lopez Shines in Kiss of the Spider Woman

      In their dim, humid prison cells, Malina (Tonatiuh) and Valentin (Diego Luna) provide each other’s sole companionship. Valentin is a radical imprisoned due to his revolutionary beliefs, while Malina is a window-dresser sentenced for homosexual acts. Valentin avoids any interaction with Malina, concentrating on his work as his cellmate tries to make the most of their grim environment. To Valentin, Malina comes across as a superficial man without principles, living a life devoid of dignity. The room is adorned with Malina’s posters and various trinkets obtained from the guards, suggesting that his queerness serves as currency. Malina tells Valentin, “There are privileges in degradation,” to which Valentin reacts with disdain, advising Malina not to “make himself trivial.” While Malina embraces his queerness, Valentin initially exhibits no sexuality, with his heterosexuality implied. As the two men gradually open up to each other, Malina proposes to describe his favorite movie, Kiss of the Spider Woman, to Valentin to help pass the time in their dismal situation. Thus, their improbable love story begins.

      Bill Condon’s Kiss of the Spider Woman narrates the relationship between these two men and the connection that forms between them under dire circumstances. Adapted from Manuel Puig’s 1976 novel of the same name and the musical version from the early ’90s, Kiss of the Spider Woman combines elements of a prison drama and a romance, featuring another love story woven within it. The film-within-the-film, Kiss of the Spider Woman, is a vibrant Technicolor musical classic starring the renowned Latina actress Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez) as both the protagonist Aurora and the treacherous Spider Woman that shadows her tale. Aurora is a celebrated, glamorous magazine editor with a secretive gay best friend (Tonatiuh) and numerous admirers. Despite her allure and desirability, Aurora has never genuinely experienced love, keeping all men at a distance—until she crosses paths with Armando (Diego Luna), a charming photographer and true gentleman. Before long, she finds herself back in her hometown as Armando considers abandoning her past life for authentic love and marriage.

      In the real world, Malina has been covertly instructed to extract information from Valentin for The Warden (Bruno Bichir) but struggles to make progress. Amidst this, Malina starts to realize he is falling for Valentin, but at home, his mother awaits him, representing his sole opportunity for parole. As his feelings for Valentin deepen and his circumstances grow more complex, Ingrid Luna begins to step out from the fantasy world of the film into his reality, giving expression to Malina’s desires and aspirations.

      Choreographed by Tony Award winner Sergio Trujillo, Lopez shines as Aurora, Ingrid, and eventually the Spider Woman herself. Watching her perform is captivating as she owns the screen, truly in her element. Although often overlooked as an actress, Condon fully showcases her talents in the film—she radiates like a star from Golden Age Hollywood. Lopez also shares strong chemistry with Luna in the film-within-the-film, with his gentle masculinity perfectly complementing her glamorous portrayal of Aurora. Between Malina and his film counterpart Kendell, there is a subtle tension, as if she urges him to fully reveal himself. Within their cramped room, the men express their feelings openly—Valentin desires to be with Aurora, while Malina aspires to embody her. Aurora represents everything Malina wishes he could be; the Spider Woman embodies everything he fears.

      Despite transitions between reality and fantasy, Kiss of the Spider Woman possesses a distinct and powerful emotional core. Each musical and dance sequence is expertly executed and rich in thematic significance; the music is enjoyable, the humor resonates, and the characters are engaging to watch in both the real and imaginary realms. Tonatiuh and Luna create a playful, beautiful partnership, showcasing a tenderness seldom depicted between two Latino men onscreen, particularly in a film of this scale. Condon’s vibrant filmmaking reminds us of the joy of musicals. Here’s hoping Kiss of the Spider Woman reaches an audience and becomes the crowd-pleaser it is destined to be.

      Kiss of the Spider Woman had its debut at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

      Grade: B+