2015 was the year that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences caught up to the reality that had set into the industry for over 20 years: Julianne Moore is one of the best actors alive. Moore finally won Best Actress for her work in “Still Alice” that year, and it was widely seen as an acknowledgment of recognition long overdue. The woman works hard and often, though, so this talent is sometimes overshadowed by the quantity over quality nature of her resume. The latter seems to have won out this time around, however, with the upcoming “Gloria Bell,” the rare instance of a filmmaker remaking their own work. In this case, “Gloria Bell” is a remake of director Sebastián Lelio’s “Gloria” from 2013 that premiered earlier this year at the Toronto International Film Festival, but as an English-language effort and with bankable U.S. stars.
“Gloria” was a critical smash when it hit the festival circuit earlier this decade, having won its star, Paulina Garcia, the Silver Bear Award for Best Actress at the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival. The film tells the story of an aging divorcée, with adult kids, who is watching the last grains of her youth slip through her fingers. In an attempt to hold onto her remaining vibrancy and vitality, the eponymous Gloria hits the club scene to dance and drink her mortality fears away. Along the way, Gloria has to come to terms with her past, present, and future so that she can find a way forward for herself. Here’s the official synopsis for the new version which is said to hew very, very close to the original.
READ MORE: 2018 Toronto International Film Festival: The Good, The Great, & Only A Little Ugly
Gloria (Julianne Moore) is a free-spirited divorcée who spends her days at a straight-laced office job and her nights on the dance floor, joyfully letting loose at clubs around Los Angeles. After meeting Arnold (John Turturro) on a night out, she finds herself thrust into an unexpected new romance, filled with both the joys of budding love and the complications of dating, identity, and family.
From Academy Award-winning director Sebastián Lelio (A Fantastic Woman, Disobedience) comes a sophisticated romantic comedy that shows love can strike at any time, relationships are never simple, and nothing can get you down as long as you keep dancing.
READ MORE: Beyond Larraín: 6 Chilean Directors You Should Know
Lelio is back to direct Moore in this American remake, and is coming off two critically lauded efforts in “Disobedience” and“A Fantastic Woman” (the former won the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in 2018). Lelio has surrounded Moore with some top-notch character actors in “Gloria Bell,” too including, John Turturro (“The Big Lebowski” and “Transformers”), Michael Cera (“Arrested Development” and “Molly’s Game”), Brad Garrett (“The King of Queens” and “Finding Dory”), and Jeanne Tripplehorn (“The Firm” and “Waterworld”), among others. This supporting cast and a script from a proven narrative property bode well for “Gloria Bell,” both for its chances at the box office and during awards season, and should make for another fascinating road marker in Moore’s long and storied career. “Gloria Bell” hits theaters March 8, 2019. Check out the new trailer and poster, both of which quote The Playlist review.
