Gloria Bell
A24 | Release Date: March 8, 2019
6.6
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 63 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
36
Mixed:
20
Negative:
7
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User Reviews

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6
swingMar 8, 2019
Great acting by one and all. Juliana was wonderful as was John Tuturro. The rest of the case was likewise. So here's the rub. The story was way too slow. Yes, it was a character study, but there was little or no excitement. There wasGreat acting by one and all. Juliana was wonderful as was John Tuturro. The rest of the case was likewise. So here's the rub. The story was way too slow. Yes, it was a character study, but there was little or no excitement. There was empathy to be sure, but it was 'they are so sad.'
We were all waiting for something to happens, and not a Hollywood ending. I guess it was intended to move along as slowly as real life. Some people can definitively relate to the characters, but that doesn't make them interesting. The music was spot on though. Juliana Moore was still amazing.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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6
TVJerryMar 25, 2019
Julianne Moore plays a divorcée who sings in her car and loves to dance. Her days are spent at work and attempting to interact with her children. One nite, she meets John Turturro and they plunge into a romantic affair. Then things getJulianne Moore plays a divorcée who sings in her car and loves to dance. Her days are spent at work and attempting to interact with her children. One nite, she meets John Turturro and they plunge into a romantic affair. Then things get complicated…otherwise, there wouldn't be a movie. This is a character study that allows Moore to act (although not as intensely as in Still Alice), while exploring family, sex and relationships on a mature level. It's enjoyable to watch her work, but the movie's narrative sometimes gets a bit ragged and is never really that compelling. I would expect this will appeal to women who can relate to her situation in life.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
moviemitch96Mar 24, 2019
So I never saw the original Chilean version of this, but was intrigued enough by the premise and Julianne Moore starring in it. And while she's as endearing as ever and the film isn't without it's cute moments, it all felt a little too simpleSo I never saw the original Chilean version of this, but was intrigued enough by the premise and Julianne Moore starring in it. And while she's as endearing as ever and the film isn't without it's cute moments, it all felt a little too simple and unmemorable to me. It didn't do a ton to help it stand out from other similar films (and from what I've heard, this is a shot-for-shot remake of the original.) Overall, great performances from a solid cast (especially from Moore and John Turturro), it was fun but nothing too remarkable and ultimately forgettable to me.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
Brent_MarchantMar 16, 2019
A collection of interesting moments and ideas worthy of pondering, unfortunately, is not enough to make a story, as is very much the case with this ultimately tedious offering, a sort of present-day remake of "An Unmarried Woman." I keptA collection of interesting moments and ideas worthy of pondering, unfortunately, is not enough to make a story, as is very much the case with this ultimately tedious offering, a sort of present-day remake of "An Unmarried Woman." I kept waiting for the dots of this story to connect, but they never really do except in the vaguest of ways, making for an experience almost as unsatisfying as that of the life of the protagonist. Julianne Moore's earnest though somewhat overrated performance helps to maintain a modicum of viewer interest, but it's not enough to save a picture that's desperately in search of a reason to make it worth watching.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
John935Jun 9, 2019
While I liked Gloria Bell, the (current) aggregate rating of 80 seems rather high. I'm a Julianne Moore fan (of course) and Turturro is excellent. There are surprising cameos but they are brief. The LA photography is bland. Director andWhile I liked Gloria Bell, the (current) aggregate rating of 80 seems rather high. I'm a Julianne Moore fan (of course) and Turturro is excellent. There are surprising cameos but they are brief. The LA photography is bland. Director and photographer probably wanted to avoid 'iconic' LA locations, but until a third of the way thru I wasn't sure where it was. There's a valid feminist angle in main character being a 50-something woman. I just think this is not a film I'll remember....… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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4
ThomassMay 26, 2019
Overall a very good but depressing movie. Many critics did not see it this way. What I found rather sad was not the end result but rather the process that the protagonist goes thru. If you are searching for romance this is not so encouraging.Overall a very good but depressing movie. Many critics did not see it this way. What I found rather sad was not the end result but rather the process that the protagonist goes thru. If you are searching for romance this is not so encouraging. Also the male lead is never really explained enough. Clearly something is up with him but never clear what.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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4
FilmLifeMar 24, 2019
Let me begin by saying, I love Julianne Moore. She is the entire reason I came to see this. Plus, the trailer looked good. However, this fell remarkably short to the point where I left the theater for a bit to take my time visiting theLet me begin by saying, I love Julianne Moore. She is the entire reason I came to see this. Plus, the trailer looked good. However, this fell remarkably short to the point where I left the theater for a bit to take my time visiting the facilities and concession stand. This is something I have only done once or twice in my life. I expected to feel this storyline and characters whether if they were ordinary or extraordinary. This was not that movie. It presented itself as told from the perspective of a sexist man who does not understand women at all. The writer did, however, understand men with the emotion-evoking character, played by John Turturro, as a man that most women have met but would not have given a second chance. Watching this was difficult due to the massive talent of the cast being reduced to this poorly directed, edited and written film. Very slow moving, the storyline just did not come together. It felt discombobulated with characters introduced for no reason as their storyline just dropped off. A couple of ra-ra gimmicky woman empowerment moments that were nearly mocking and that is about it.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
MarkHReviewsMar 23, 2019
Perhaps “Gloria Bell” could more aptly be re-named “Lost in Translation.” Writer/Director Sebastian Lelio (2017 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film for “A Fantastic Woman”) has taken his 2013 Spanish-language film “Gloria,” originally setPerhaps “Gloria Bell” could more aptly be re-named “Lost in Translation.” Writer/Director Sebastian Lelio (2017 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film for “A Fantastic Woman”) has taken his 2013 Spanish-language film “Gloria,” originally set in Santiago, Chile, and updated the story in current-day Los Angeles. One wonders why.

It’s appropriate to applaud this film’s focus on mature adults, particularly given the recent steady diet of superhero films and an obsession with films emphasizing teens and young adults. The life of a 50-something divorcee navigating middle-adulthood would seem to offer many topics worth exploring. Unfortunately, “Gloria” has no big ideas to communicate. While we’re teased with brief observations about financial insecurity, the loneliness of divorce and the inevitable complexities of family, “Gloria” offers only a series of glancing blows, rather than taking a stand or making a point.

Our protagonist, Gloria Bell (Julianne Moore), is a study in contradictions. In many facets of her life, she is all diligent earnestness and perky optimism: consoling a distraught co-worker, babysitting for a son with an absent wife, providing emotional support for a daughter preparing to move to Sweden to marry a big-wave surfer, coping with the noises of an upstairs neighbor in total meltdown. Soon enough, we learn that, beneath all this responsibility, Gloria is a woman of simple pleasures: “If the world blows up, I hope I go down dancing.” You’d think a woman with this clear-eyed outlook would find a partner equally sensible. Instead, Gloria gets saddled with Arnold (John Turturro), who aspires to a soulful romance, but is inextricably tethered to an ex-wife and two daughters who collectively make Glenn Close’s character in “Fatal Attraction” appear emotionally independent. He takes every phone call, meets every emotional need, all at the expense of his relationship with Gloria. If only he’d read “Co-Dependent No More.”

Gloria’s motivations and feelings, too, are less than self-evident. When alone, she seems to alternate between comfortable aloneness and feeling uncomfortably lonely. Similarly, she seems self-contained and self-reliant when helping others, while projecting a subterranean neediness when trying to move forward with Arnold.

What is remarkable about “Gloria” is Moore in the title role. She takes a character who is filled with internal inconsistencies and infuses her with a life force that consistently holds our attention and our compassion. Over the years, Moore’s skill has made us care about a variety of unlikeable characters, from the shrewish wife in Robert Altman’s 1993 “Short Cuts” to a porn star in “Boogie Nights” (1997) to a predatory, incestuous mother in “Savage Grace” (2002). In “Gloria,” she’s done something even more difficult: she’s taken a muddled character and made her unremarkable story compelling viewing.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
ArrisMay 31, 2019
Very strong performance from Julianne Moore per usual but unfortunately the movie was a little boring? It also feels quite watered down from the original.
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6
CrazyStupidJakeJul 30, 2019
Julianne Moore is a goddamn national treasure. Her character is the heart and soul of this picture and she is just so easy to root for. The pacing of this film is much more sporadic than I was expecting but I really just loved spending timeJulianne Moore is a goddamn national treasure. Her character is the heart and soul of this picture and she is just so easy to root for. The pacing of this film is much more sporadic than I was expecting but I really just loved spending time with this character so it didn’t bother me. The film started to lose me a little in the third act but it could’ve been Gloria dancing the whole time and I’d be satisfied.
Grade: B-… Expand
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