paleolith

I watched this version immediately after seeing the 1995 movie. The older one is beautiful but is overpowered by a star cast, overly gaudy sets and costumes, and some lack of clarity in the dialog. This version has the visual beauty but also a darkness that lends a stronger atmosphere. The acting is excellent and without distracting star flair. I found the distinction between the title characters much clearer in this version. And I understood almost every line in a single pass.

It's still a drama about the problems of the one percent -- the equivalent of the 21st century's "problems of the first world". No matter how revered the author, I can't give the top rating to such a setting.

Though most reviews describe the backstory, it's actually better to watch the movie without that knowledge, providing more mystery and suspense. Those qualities build for about two-thirds of the movie before sliding (never completely) to knowledge and a small slice of resolution.

Perhaps the best attribute was framing the story using Alberta Hunter's blues songs. A few years later, Alan Rudolph similarly framed Choose Me using Teddy Pendergrass' songs. I like Choose Me better -- guess I'm a romantic -- but I love both movies for the way songs, real songs not just supporting music, are used.

Some reviewers find the ending confusing and unsatisfying. They must have never read a short story in The New Yorker. The ending was plain as day to me -- almost too plain after the long suspense. Wrapping up all the threads may be satisfying to many, but I like an ending that leaves something for my fantasy.

Obviously this is the short version of the book, but that's true of most movies based on books. As a summation of a long, varied, often messy life, the movie is of necessity elliptical and often messy. But it evokes that life marvelously.

As I watched the Glorias of various ages discussion events with one another, I was reminded how often I do that with my selves of other ages. (I'm old enough that most of those other selves are younger than I am now.) One of those younger selves remembers that Newsweek cover photo.

The occasional flights of psychedelic call out the flights that our emotions take at times of stress, connecting us to the central character far more surely than would dialog or exposition.

The thread of a life and a movement kept me engaged -- I had to break my viewing but always wanted to get back ASAP.