Gia
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Gia | |
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Written by | Jay McInerney Michael Cristofer |
Directed by | Michael Cristofer |
Starring | Angelina Jolie Faye Dunaway Mercedes Ruehl Elizabeth Mitchell |
Theme music composer | Terence Blanchard |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language(s) | English |
Production | |
Producer(s) | James D. Brubaker |
Cinematography | Rodrigo García |
Editor(s) | Eric A. Sears |
Running time | 126 minutes |
Release | |
Original network | HBO |
Original release | January 31, 1998 |
Gia is a 1998 biographical HBO film about the tragic life and time's of one of America's first supermodels, Gia Marie Carangi. The film stars Angelina Jolie as Gia and Faye Dunaway as Wilhelmina Cooper, with Mercedes Ruehl and Elizabeth Mitchell. It was directed by Michael Cristofer and written by Cristofer and Jay McInerney. The original music score was composed by Terence Blanchard.
Plot[edit]
Gia Carangi (Angelina Jolie) is a Philadelphia native who moves to New York City to become a fashion model and immediately catches the attention of powerful agent Wilhelmina Cooper (Faye Dunaway). Gia's attitude and beauty help her rise quickly to the forefront of the modeling industry, but her persistent loneliness after the death of Wilhelmina drives her to experiment with mood-altering drugs like cocaine.
She becomes entangled in a passionate affair with Linda (Elizabeth Mitchell), a make-up artist. Their love affair first starts when both pose nude and make love to each other after a photo shoot. However, after a while Linda begins to worry about Gia's drug use and gives her an ultimatum; Gia chooses the drugs.
Failed attempts at reconciliation with Linda and with her mother, Kathleen (Mercedes Ruehl), drive Gia to begin abusing heroin. Although she is eventually able to break her drug habit after much effort, she has already contracted HIV from a needle containing infected blood, having already progressed to full blown AIDS. She spends the remainder of her life in the hospital until she dies.
Cast[edit]
- Angelina Jolie as Gia Carangi
- Mila Kunis as Gia Carangi (at age 11)
- Faye Dunaway as Wilhelmina Cooper
- Mercedes Ruehl as Kathleen Carangi
- Elizabeth Mitchell as Linda
- Scott Cohen as Mike Mansfield
- Edmund Genest as Francesco Scavullo
- Alexander Enberg as Chris von Wangenheim
- Louis Giambalvo as Joseph Carangi
- Eric Michael Cole as T.J.
- Kylie Travis as Stephanie
- John Considine as Bruce Cooper
- James Haven as young man on Sansom street
- Rick Batalla as Phillipe
- Brian Donovan as junkie at Shooting Gallery
- Tricia O'Neil as Vogue editor
- Sam Pancake as Francesco stylist #1
- Adina Porter as Girl at Group Therapy
- Michael E. Rodgers as Red dress photographer
- Nick Spano as Michael
- Jason Stuart as Booker #2
Reception[edit]
Critical reception[edit]
Gia was generally well received by critics, with an approval rating of 92% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.[1] Kalamazoo Gazette commented: "Jolie gives it her all in a thoroughly uninhibited and highly effective portrait of a woman living from thrill to thrill."[2] Christopher Null of Filmcritic.com gave the film 3 out of 5 stars.[3] Conversely, Film Freak Central gave the film only 1.5 out of 4 stars and commented: Gia isn't hagiography, I'll give it that, but it is reductive to a fault."[4]
Awards[edit]
- Angelina Jolie – Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
- Faye Dunaway – Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture
- Eric A. Sears – Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or a Movie
- Angelina Jolie – Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
References[edit]
- ^ "Gia - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- ^ Sanford, James (2003). "James Sanford reviews Gia". Kalamazoo Gazette. Archived from the original on 19 October 2006. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- ^ Null, Christopher (1998). "Gia Movie Review, DVD Release". Filmcritic.com. Archived from the original on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- ^ Chambers, Bill (19 August 2004). "Taking Lives (unrated director's cut - widescreen DVD + Blu-ray Disc) + Gia (unrated DVD)". Film Freak Central. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
External links[edit]
- Gia at the Internet Movie Database
- Gia at AllMovie
- Gia at Rotten Tomatoes
- 1990s drama films
- 1990s LGBT-related films
- 1998 television films
- American biographical films
- American drama films
- American films
- American LGBT-related films
- American LGBT-related television programs
- American television films
- Biographical television films
- Bisexuality-related films
- Film scores by Terence Blanchard
- Films about fashion
- Films about heroin addiction
- Films set in the 1970s
- Films set in the 1980s
- Films set in Philadelphia
- HBO Films films
- HIV/AIDS in film
- Lesbian-related films