A foreign entrant for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars, the film "Gloria" seemed like a winner. The setting: Latin America, Chile, big city, modern people, no politics.
Reviewers liked it, recommended it. The story: middle aged woman, mother of two, respectable job, lonely. Children grown, somewhat detached, ex-husband with new, younger wife. Woman meets divorced man, owner of a small recreation park-independent business man. So far, so good.
Then, man has baggage: ex-wife and 2 daughters, none of whom work, man is sole supporter-in-chief. Hmmmm. Man can't seem to cut loose the baggage; man not able to really move on with life, as he wants. Woman decides life to short to wait for weak personality with baggage. Woman moves on.
Filming similar to documentary style popular in modern cinema. When is a film a documentary, what are the boundaries of a docudrama? The style does not enhance the story or improve the results. The effect is not uplifting; the film leaves the viewer grasping for something that is just not there. Neither character warrants sympathy or interest, maybe understanding, but there is no buy-in for the viewer.
Rating: **
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