Featuring one of the best female roles in film, Gloria, written and directed by Sebastian Lelio and starring the mesmerizing Paulina Garcia, is about a middle-aged divorcee looking for love in Santiago, Chile.
The film opens with Gloria dancing in a club and our first impression of her is as a vivacious older woman looking to have fun with a partner. As the movie unfolds and we learn about the hard knocks Gloria endures, the film could easily turn into a sad portrait of a woman getting older.
However, Gloria’s ability to throw herself passionately into life even if her choices are suspect, plus her ability to pick herself and dust herself off from her mistakes echoes the ‘80s power ballad “Gloria” she dances to in the end: strong, unapologetic, and bravely hopeful for the future. Garcia’s performance should be required viewing for women — and men — of all ages.
Gloria is now playing in theaters, including the Angelika Theater in New York.
nywift
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