GIA

US, 1998, 126 minutes, Colour.
Angelina Jolie, Elizabeth Mitchell, Mercedes Ruehl, Faye Dunaway, Eric Michael Cole, Louis Giambalvo, John Considine, Mila Kunis.
Directed by Michael Cristofer.

Gia is made for television, a big-budget and prestigious production. It was co-written and directed by Michael Cristofer, a playwright with such credits in cinema as The Shadow Box and Original Sin. The co-writer was Jay Mc Inerney who wrote the novel Big City, Bright Lights, made into a film with Michael J. Fox in 1988.

The film is also a star vehicle for Angelina Jolie who was emerging from supporting roles and smaller-budget films at this period. The next year she won the best supporting actress Oscar for her role in Girl, Interrupted. She shows verve, vitality and a strong and demanding screen presence in this film, made when she was only twenty-two and twenty-three. Mercedes Ruehl is very good as her mother. Faye Dunaway is the manager of the models. Proving that some supporting cast can become actors with prestige in adulthood, Mila Kunis portrays Gia at the age of eleven. A strong member of the cast is Elizabeth Mitchell who appears a the makeup artist who is the object of Gia’s love.

Gia Carangi was a model in the late 70s, early 80s. Coming from a humble Philadelphia family, she asserted herself, made her name as a model, became a drug addict, entered into a relationship with her makeup artist, was happy to defy conventions. However, because of her addiction, she contracted AIDS when the disease was beginning to manifest itself and died very early.

The film shows all the glamour of the fashion world, its artificiality, its poses and poseurs. It also shows how individuals can be swallowed up by the fame, the adulation, wealth, access to whatever they wanted, a loosening of firm moral values and ties. The film is strong, however, in the bond between mother and daughter, even though the mother abandoned her children when they were young. Mercedes Ruehl should have got the Golden Globe for best supporting actress rather than Faye Dunaway, who did. Angelina Jolie won the Golden Globe and several other awards for her performance.

1. A portrait of the 80s, the fashion world, American style? An artificial world, on the catwalks, behind the scenes, the photo shoots? Images? The change in the 80s to the world of drugs, AIDS?

2. The portrait of Gia, based on a true story, Angelina Jolie and her powerful screen presence?

3. Gia coming from Philadelphia, the picture of her home, her parents, her brothers? Italian American? The brothers working in the shop? Her own working there? Her mother abandoning the family, out on the town, leaving, the father’s reaction? Gia in Philadelphia, her friends, the photo shoots, the bars?

4. Gia as wild, full of energy, the initial photo shoot, T.J. and the photographer? The woman? The affectations, the emotions, sexuality?

5. Gia and her going to New York, agents, the photo shoots, the studios? The attitudes of the staff, the camp style? Gia and her confrontative manner? Meeting Linda, her help? Asking Linda to stay, the nude modelling, the effect?

6. The relationship with Linda, absorbing for Gia, Linda’s boyfriend, Linda and her trying to cope with her emotions? The boyfriend meeting Gia? The kiss? The boyfriend moving out? Linda, her confusions, her love for Gia? Their living together? The pressures, too much for Linda, Gia and the drugs, her lies, wanting money, Linda leaving?

7. Wilhelmina Cooper and her style, Gia and the demands on the secretary, the appointment, Wilhelmina and her support of Gia? Promoting her talent? The photo shoots? The real world of competitive models? Wilhelmina as a mother figure? Her relationship with her husband, Gia’s phone calls in the night, urging her to be herself when Gia was nervous, her success, photos, the catwalk? Victoria and her illness, Gia’s visit, a tough woman, her death? The funeral? Wilhelmina’s husband and his taking on the firm, trying to deal with Gia?

8. Gia’s mother, leaving, the return? Her appearance, makeup, hairstyle? The interviews and her reflections on Gia? The bond between the two, Gia depending on her mother, the harsh quarrel, the reconciliation? Her mother’s continued support? Her visit home, the brothers, her father’s pride in her?

9. The drug-taking, the drug world, the effect? Going out to score, in the streets, beaten up? Her needs, taking things? Her going to different agents, her bold front with the exploitative agent, wanting to make money? Lying to him? Her performance on the catwalk, her collapse?

10. The effect of the drugs, ill, the emergence of knowledge about AIDS, in hospital, her mother, the visit with Linda, continued taking of the drugs?

11. Her death, a vital woman and a misguided life?

12. The variety of her friends, T.J. and his initial presence in Philadelphia, being with her, his own relationships, helping her out, at the time of her death?

13. The world of posing, poseurs, glamour, yet the reality?

14. The screenplay built up of interviews with people who knew her, the interview style, the semi-documentary tone and look?