Gloria

Film & TV

Thursday February 27, 2014 Comments

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Gloria is a 58-year-old woman who lives alone but has a rich social life. She divorced many years ago and her children have left the nest and have lives of their own.

Gloria attends laughing classes and goes out dancing on the weekends. It’s on one of these occasions that she meets Rodolfo, a man who is recently divorced but still lives with his two spoilt adult daughters. A tender love affair develops between Gloria and Rodolfo, but it doesn’t take long for serpents to appear in the grass. Why doesn’t he want to tell his daughters that he is in a new relationship? Why does he have to run off and rescue his ex-wife?

The film isn’t really one where questions get answered but more of a contemplation of a woman in her middle years. Paulina Garcia is wonderful as Gloria but there is something missing in this film. It might be a sense of direction. Several times, I caught myself wondering where it was going or what the point of it all was.

My review buddy suggested it was a very “European” movie, which it isn’t at all as it is set in Chile, but he has a point in that it is less focussed than most American films.

As much as I applaud middle-aged women characters on screen, and I would love to see many more of them, I still won’t go out of my way to recommend Gloria. It is a strange film, unusual. It is sometimes funny, sometimes sad, but most of the time it leaves viewers scratching their heads in wonder.

What is it all about? I suppose it is about life.

More InDaily film reviews:

All is Lost
Endless Love
Dallas Buyers Club
Winter’s Tale
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Last Vegas
Grudge Match
12 Years a Slave

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<h1>Gloria</h1>

<address><a href="https://inreview.com.au/contributors/anna-solding/" class="author">Anna Solding</a></address>
											
							<p>Gloria is a 58-year-old woman who lives alone but has a rich social life. She divorced many years ago and her children have left the nest and have lives of their own.</p>
<p>Gloria attends laughing classes and goes out dancing on the weekends. It’s on one of these occasions that she meets Rodolfo, a man who is recently divorced but still lives with his two spoilt adult daughters. A tender love affair develops between Gloria and Rodolfo, but it doesn’t take long for serpents to appear in the grass. Why doesn’t he want to tell his daughters that he is in a new relationship? Why does he have to run off and rescue his ex-wife?</p>
<p>The film isn’t really one where questions get answered but more of a contemplation of a woman in her middle years. Paulina Garcia is wonderful as Gloria but there is something missing in this film. It might be a sense of direction. Several times, I caught myself wondering where it was going or what the point of it all was.</p>
<p>My review buddy suggested it was a very “European” movie, which it isn’t at all as it is set in Chile, but he has a point in that it is less focussed than most American films.</p>
<p>As much as I applaud middle-aged women characters on screen, and I would love to see many more of them, I still won’t go out of my way to recommend <i>Gloria</i>. It is a strange film, unusual. It is sometimes funny, sometimes sad, but most of the time it leaves viewers scratching their heads in wonder.</p>
<p>What is it all about? I suppose it is about life.</p>
<h5><a href="#more-indaily-film-reviews" aria-hidden="true" class="aal_anchor" id="more-indaily-film-reviews"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="aal_svg" height="16" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 16 16" width="16"><path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z"></path></svg></a>More InDaily film reviews:</h5>
<p><a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2014/02/20/lost/">All is Lost</a><br />
<a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2014/02/20/endless-love/">Endless Love</a><br />
<a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2014/02/13/dallas-buyers-club/">Dallas Buyers Club</a><br />
<a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2014/02/13/winters-tale/">Winter’s Tale</a><br />
<a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2014/02/06/mandela-long-walk-freedom/">Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom</a><br />
<a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2014/02/06/last-vegas/">Last Vegas</a><br />
<a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2014/01/30/grudge-match/">Grudge Match</a><br />
<a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2014/01/30/12-years-slave/">12 Years a Slave</a></p>
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