Gloria Cumplido , the 58-year-old Santiago divorcée around whom director Sebastián Lelio centers his Spanish-language film “Gloria,” is an unlikely protagonist by American standards. Gloria (Paulina García) is pretty, but not beautiful; free-spirited, but not too quirky.
She is very real — not an exemplar, not a train wreck, but a person. Lelio creates the kind of understated portrait of middle life that audiences would be hard-pressed to find coming from Hollywood.
Gloria, a middle-aged Chilean woman has been divorced for 10 years and seeks companionship at a dance club for adult singles. When she meets divorced businessman Rodolfo (Sergio Hernández) , the two connect. The relationship takes off, but the couple soon have to face their own realities of baggage along with the enjoyment of companionship.
If the plot sounds mild, it’s because it is. Little happens in the movie — it is mundane and subtle. We observe Gloria sing under her breath in the car and pay for parking.
None of these scenes advance the action, but they are where the movie excels. García toes the line between routine and boring masterfully, infusing the most quotidian actions with delicate enthusiasm. Or frustration. Or melancholy.
The lack of extraordinary turns of plot creates a vacuum in which these underwhelming moments achieve real catharsis. One of the most emotional moments involves Gloria casually dropping a duffel bag into a trash can.
“Gloria” isn’t afraid of indulging, though. We see Gloria bungee jump, play paintball and dance wildly. Her underlying verve steeps what would be a droll, melancholy film in hope, making it so worth watching.
