It's gloriously difficult to place the protagonist of Sebastian Lelio's drama. Chilean grand-mother Gloria (Paulina Garcia, who won the Silver Bear at Berlin for this performance) is averagely attractive but has dodgy taste in glasses (think Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie).
Financially secure, she's been divorced for years and, now that her two children are grown up, and no longer seem to need her, is thrilled by the attentions of fluttery businessman, Rodolfo (Sergio Hernandez). She brings him along to her son's birthday party, to which her ex-husband and his wife, have also been invited. Rodolfo thanks everyone for letting him become part of the family. Mid-way through the evening, he disappears.
The film, in that it hones in on an ageing singleton who loves to dance, spasmodically, and euphorically, to disco music, recalls art-house hits such as Julia and Beau Travaille. Yet those films used violence to up the ante. (There's a gun in Gloria, but the only thing it shoots is paint). Back in the 50s, this would have been described as a “woman's picture”. Yet films in that genre tend to have endings that are either romantic or tragic. (The climax, here, is neither). It's only when the naked heroine stretches out on her bed - beside the world's most repulsive-looking cat - that it hits you. Lelio's film isn't like other films...
Gloria is the portrait Lucian Freud forgot to paint and probably won't be in cinemas for long. See it in the flesh, before it disappears.
