Review by John Delia
The upbeat movie of the year! Gloria makes film going magnificent with all the grace and charm of a woman in love. The movie takes you on a journey beyond middle age and shows that there’s more to life, even after divorce. Fine acting by Paulina Garcia in the lead role and excellent direction by Sebastian Lelio fills the screen with a striking romance that captivates.
The story centers on Gloria (Paulina Garcia) who has been finding her way out of her divorced past by attending social clubs for singles. She’s addicted to the friendship and dancing the venues offer, giving her a release from her ho hum workdays. Her grown children have established their lives and although keeping in touch, she gets the feeling they’re growing away from her.
On one particular night at her favorite social spot she meets newly divorced Rodolfo (Sergio Hernández) who entices her to join him on the dance floor. The spark is there and Gloria falls for the much older gentleman taking him to her place for mad passionate sex. The two start to date and he puts the zing back in Gloria that’s been missing since when she first married. They become inseparable with Rodolfo being introduced to her family.
Gloria becomes leery about the relationship because Rodolfo has been called a lot in her presence by his children and his ex-wife. When confronted as to why he refuses to let them know about their relationship, things start getting uncertain. Director Sebastián Lelio does an excellent job of showing the whirlwind relationship between the two. He takes the audience inside their personal lives showing the urgency and beauty of recovering from lost relationships. He plays lightly with the heartstrings at first then strums them full cord bonding his subjects with uninhibited love and sensuality.
Paulina Garcia glows as the blooming flower with her performance as Gloria. Her fire and charismatic personality lend to making her character inviting, sometimes comical and enjoyable to watch. Her ability to let her hair down as she goes from an unsettled divorcee to a social butterfly with hopes for a new and exciting life is foreseeable in her character. Garcia’s eyes tell most of the story which shine as her romance grows, then sadden as she becomes perplexed. I like the way she handles her character right up to the bitter sweet finale.
In support, Sergio Hernández is brilliant as the newly divorced Rodolpho who can’t seem to separate from his past. His character becomes captivated by the delightful Gloria and he does everything to make her want him. He may be a lot older than Gloria, but he still hasn’t lost the lust for a torrid sexual encounter. When he realizes what he has been missing from his failed marriage, he desperately wants more of Gloria’s willingness to accommodate him. When the role calls for him to wimp out of his new found romance, you can feel his frustration and disappointment.
Gloria has been rated R by the MPAA for sexual content, some graphic nudity, drug use and language. The sexual union by the two actors is very realistic and sensual so be very careful when deciding to bring immature children. The film spools out in Chilean with English subtitles that are easy to read. The movie was Chile’s official entry for Best Foreign Language Film into this year’s Academy Awards. Paulina Garcia took home the Silver Bear Best Actress Award at 2013’s Berlin Film Festival.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A remarkable and captivating romantic tale. (A)
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Paulina GarcÃa, Sergio Hernández, Diego Fontecilla
Directed and written by: Sebastián Lelio
Genre: Comedy, Drama
MPAA Rating: R for sexual content, some graphic nudity, drug use and language
Running Time: 1 hr 50 min
Release Date: February 7, 2014 (Check listings in your area as it has staggered openings)
Distributed by: Roadside Attractions