When I saw the previews for Gloria, it was kind of presented as a sort of romantic comedy that would be the Argentinian equivalent of a Nancy Meyers movie. It's more subtle than I suspected, and it contains a lot of nuance. The first half really takes it's time presenting Gloria, played perfectly and bravely by Paulina García. That first half can become tedious. The pace is a little too slow, and the story doesn't really seem to be going anywhere, but the film picks up in the last half.
We see Gloria, who is divorced woman in her fifties who battles loneliness by visiting dance clubs and taking laughing workshops, crave companionship, a trait more potent than she realizes. This comes out when she starts seeing Rodolfo, an older gentleman who wears a waist cincher and is controlled by his two daughters and ex-wife. He's more than a mess, and the fact that she is drawn to him speaks volumes about her.
There's a scene where Gloria's ex-husband's wife offers he marijuana, and Gloria kindly declines because "I'm a little scared of losing control," and we see what happens when she does. The character is so youthful and energetic that I found it fascinating that she seemed her oldest when she acts like a reckless twenty year old. Getting black out drunk and making out with strangers is not cute no matter how old you are, but these scenes are pretty humorous. Actually, the film does offer a lot funny moments thanks to having a lead character that isn't afraid to laugh at herself.
The main drive of the film is Garcia and the script written by Gonzalo Maza and Sebastián Lelio. The latter directed the film and presented a nondescript mise en scène, but his vision could have been edited down a little bit. There's a little too much fat in and between scenes. Still, Gloria is a great character study for those with the patience to see it through. It's not often that we see an honest representation of a woman who is without a husband, whose kids are living their own lives, who suffers through bad relationships, and experiments with drugs without presenting her as a joke. She's still a hero, despite her flaws. Gloria is amusing, thoughtful, surprisingly erotic, and is accessible for everyone.
Now, here's the song Gloria, because I want you to suffer, too.
