Retro Reviewing: "Gia"

I love the movie to bits as well, but the fact is that it isn't 100% accurate to Gia's real story... not surprising when you consider that they were trying to squash Gia's whole complex story into less that two hours... also the character of Linda (a composite of Sandy Linter and Sharon Beverly, two of Gia's lovers) isn't very representative of either Sandy, Sharon or indeed any woman Gia had in her life. Also, how could any film about Gia be true-to-life if they skip out on including the notorious Rochelle, Gia's drug-addicted, dangerous and out-of-control last lover, who helped Gia spiral further into her unhealthy and destructive addiction and pattern of toxic, dysfunctional relationships.

Unsurprisingly, a lot of the dialogue/scenarios were largely made up or simplified for the movie, and as you ladies touched upon in your review, the fact is that Gia was truly a lesbian at her core, not bisexual as this movie has mistakenly lead many to believe. As one of Gia's friends later remembered 'She was the purest lesbian I have ever met'... She was totally enthralled, captivated and obsessed with women and had no real interest in men.

Having said all of the above, the movie is wonderful in capturing the intoxicating, tragic essence of Gia... and you guys a usual do a great, in-depth, though-provoking job in reviewing it.  

Hip To The Beat, Mommie-O!

I was a little bit worried no one would give Gia the 5 it deserves!!!!  It came down to the wire but Rina you came through!!!

I LOVE this movie!! I absolutely love Angelina Jolie with Elizabeth Mitchell!!  It is also just a very well made and well acted film, and one I can enjoy over and over, and not just for the really good bits!

I know i put this in my last post but come on do ya really blame me, cause swoon!!

I can't wait till the next review!!! I have never seen Show Me Love so I will have to track it down once finals week is over!

Much love as always to the awesome Retro Reviewers!!

I love Gia Carangi and Angelina did a fantastic job portraying her. Her performance still stands out to me every time I watch the film.

I'm not the biggest fan of the movie itself, however. A Thing of Beauty by Stephen Fried is really the best place to go if one wants to learn about the real Gia. 

~Lynne~

I watched this film for the 1st time recently. Its a very sad film, when she goes to see Linda for the last time because she just wanted to see her face made me well up. Despite being very sad there were also some extremely funny moments, her carving her name into the desk with a knife was funny. Angelina did a fantastic job in this film, in an interview she said she 1st turned down the part because it was a little too close to home. She certainly plays crazy well as she also showed in Girl Interrupted. There are a lot of ppl that say a lot of bad things about Angelina Jolie but I think these ppl have never seen Gia (or Girl Interrupted) 'cause lets face it could you really see Jennifer Aniston playing Gia? No, for one start she prolly wouldnt get her boobs out, but other than that I don't see her as a good enough actress. Ladies like Megan Fox and Jessica Biel may complain that they are too good looking to get good roles but I think they are just too afraid to take a part that requires them not looking pretty all of the time. Even though through most of Gia Angelina looks stunning, there are points where she has to look messed up and skanky which Angelina isn't afraid to do.

"My life's like a romantic comedy that's never romantic! Or comedic! My life is nothing like a romantic comedy!" - Caitlin (Cashmere Mafia)

GIA is a terrible movie. It's only redeeming quality is Jolie, and I'm not usually a fan of hers. I'm actually surprised this movie was from HBO.

Carangi was portrayed as bisexual in this but some people who knew her said she was a lesbian. Which is it? Did the movie misrepresent her and give her  the "tv lesbian" treatment or was she really a bisexual in real life? Also, I wish Portia hadn't been such a chicken shit and taken the role that Mitchell played.

This movie doesn't show the true reality of Gia's life, just some random things like the photoshoot with the fence or the last interview when she was suposedly recovered, but most of the things in it are made up, her life was more tragic than what the movie shows...and I think she was more beautiful than Jolie.

I also think this movie is REALLY bad, in general the only good is the cast, but really is too poorly made and that saxophone ugh... it's like for a porn of something xD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLUCo4TcGZQ&feature=related

When Cindy Crawford started in the bussiness she was called "baby gia" because she had similar looks to her....that's how huge she was in one point.

ps: i'm already laughing at what i think you'll say of f*cking amal LOL.

Ey guys, the acting of Angelina Jolie is good, but it is not the real thing, is not close about Gia's personality and her tragic life. If you wanna see something real look at this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6h5uwF83JI

Hope you like it, also the book "thing of beauty" is the Gia's biography and it's great and reliable if you are one of the Gia's fan.

 Cheers! 

what happened to gia is basically the same thing that happened to marilyn monroe. and even recently almost happened to britney spears. these girls with too many people around them, all wanting something from them but not giving them what they need:love. not even attention they just need someone there to love them, really love them. not love them because you want money or because you want to be on tmz with them or go to a premiere. these girls were being used. well in britneys case still being used.

djdopesic

....sad but very well done. I haven't seen it in quite some time.  However, besides the fact that she was troubled and lacked some positive guidance, there are two scenes that stand out for me:

1. When she kicks in the window, then apologising to her girlfriend and promising to be better.   Then reaching for her drugs and her girlfriend gives her an ultimatum...but she choses the drugs over her girl...awwww

2. Just as finds out she has AIDS, she asks, "So how do I get rid of it?" Not only does that punctuate the ignorance of the time, but it's even more sombre because at present we still have no cure for it.

Lady Jolie was fantastic, I'd watch it again now.

The actual model Gia Carangi wasn't bisexual. She was a lesbian who only started sleeping with men towards the end so that she could get drugs. I don't think the Angelina Jolie film was an accurate depiction of Gia Carangi at all. Anyone interested in the real story should read the book "Thing of Beauty". It's much more true to her life. The film is actually a much more tame version of her story. The real thing is much, much more depressing.

I wish they had tried to make the film more accurate. If they had, I think it would've had more of an impact since the true story is so much worse. I think people would be surprised to see how different it was from the movie... like the fact that Gia was not bisexual and her relationship with Sandy (the woman who the character Linda was based off of) was completely different. Sandy used Gia and I don't believe it was ever a sexual relationship. The saddest part is how Gia was HUGE back then but when she died, hardly anyone knew about it. Barely anyone showed up at her funeral and it took months for most people in the fashion industry to find out she was gone.

Gia is beautiful. Her features are almost perfect. Even in the TV interview in which she was under the influence, her beauty shines through! I'm flabbergasted by her beauty that was so strong that repelled anything impure.....or is it her youth that did so? Her beauty was captured when she was 17 to 22 or so. She didn't live long enough to metamorphose into mature beauty, which is a shame, although the pictures of her are mesmerizing enough.... What impresses me with her are her eyes - searching eyes that are expressing. She was a little puppy; irresistibly cute, but troublesome. 

The movie tells that it's the drugs that destroyed her beauty and her life.... What a loss *sigh* .... She loved her mother, Wilhelmia and Linda - her attitude towards them was all the same - she was a little baby who needs care and attention ALL THE TIME. She was always looking for emotional fulfillment and connection in a woman.....men didn't play a role in her world. A lesbian cliche? 

Angelina Jolie did a good job, perhaps the best actress to play the role, but I still think Gia is far more beautiful....(no offense to Angelina fans)

I just finished watching "It's in the Water" and I think you all could make such fun of it in those sketches/skits you do. It is from 1997 and is ridiculous in the best way. It's a fun and entertaining movie that doesn't take itself too seriously.

This is the IMDB description(it really doesn't do the film justice):

When hordes of gays and lesbians come out "of the closet" in the fictional town of Azalea Springs, Texas, intolerant residents go into a panic about the water supply.