CANNES, France (AP) — On paper, Jacques Audiard’s buzzed-about Cannes Film Festival entry “Emilia Perez” would not seem anything like a good idea for a movie.

The film, which premiered Saturday in Cannes, is probably the first movie that can sincerely be compared to both “Sicario” and “Mrs. Doubtfire” — and that’s just a start.

Zoe Saldaña stars as Rita, a Mexico City lawyer hired by the cartel kingpin Manitas to help him flee Mexico for gender confirmation surgery. This turns out to be the beginning of a relationship that will continue between Rita and Emilia Perez (Karla Sofía Gascón). Emilia returns years later, posing as Manitas’ sister, to stay close to her children who are living with her ex-wife (Selena Gomez).

Also, it’s a musical.

As gonzo as its premise may be, or possibly because of it, “Emilia Perez” gave Cannes a mid-festival jolt. Though not every critic has swooned for its melodramatic grandeur, there was applause even after the film’s press screening.