Gia Explained

Director:Michael Cristofer
Starring:Angelina Jolie
Faye Dunaway
Mercedes Ruehl
Elizabeth Mitchell
Composer:Terence Blanchard
Country:United States
Language:English
Producer:James D. Brubaker
Editor:Eric A. Sears
Cinematography:Rodrigo García
Runtime:126 minutes
Company:HBO Pictures
Budget:$7.9 million[1]
Network:HBO

Gia is a 1998 American biographical drama television film about the life and times of one of the first supermodels, Gia Carangi. The film stars Angelina Jolie as Gia and Faye Dunaway as Wilhelmina Cooper, with Mercedes Ruehl and Elizabeth Mitchell. It was directed by Michael Cristofer and written by Cristofer and Jay McInerney. The original music score was composed by Terence Blanchard. The film premiered on January 31, 1998 on HBO.

Plot

Gia Carangi is a Philadelphia native who moves to New York City to become a fashion model and immediately catches the attention of the powerful agent Wilhelmina Cooper. Gia's attitude and beauty help her rise quickly to the forefront of the modeling industry. However, her persistent loneliness, especially after the death of Wilhelmina, drives her to use mood-altering drugs such as cocaine and heroin.

She becomes entangled in a passionate affair with Linda, a make-up artist. Their love affair first starts when both pose nude for a photo shoot and make love afterward. Gia tries to get clean and begins taking methadone. However, Gia eventually starts using again and Linda gives her an ultimatum. Gia chooses the drugs.

Failed attempts at reconciliation with Linda and with her mother, Kathleen, drive Gia back to heroin. Although she is eventually able to break her drug habit after much effort, she has already contracted HIV from intravenous drug use, which has progressed to AIDS. She spends the remainder of her life in the hospital.

Reception

Critical reception

Gia received positive reviews from critics. [2] Kalamazoo Gazette commented: "Jolie gives it her all in a thoroughly uninhibited and highly effective portrait of a woman living from thrill to thrill."[3] Christopher Null of Filmcritic.com gave the film 3 out of 5 stars.[4] Conversely, Film Freak Central gave the film only 1.5 out of 4 stars and commented: "Gia isn't hagiography, I'll give it that, but it is reductive to a fault."[5]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef.
Artios AwardsBest Casting for TV Movie of the WeekJunie Lowry Johnson[6]
Online Film & Television Association AwardsBest Motion Picture Made for Television[7]
Best Actress in a Motion Picture or MiniseriesAngelina Jolie
OutfestOutstanding Actress in a Feature Film[8]
Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Made for Television MovieMarvin Worth, Ilene Kahn Power,
David R. Ginsburg, and James D. Brubaker		[9]
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a MovieAngelina Jolie
Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or a MovieJay McInerney and Michael Cristofer
Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries or a MovieLibby Goldstein and Junie Lowry Johnson
Outstanding Costume Design for a Miniseries or a MovieRobert Turturice
Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or a MovieEric A. Sears
American Cinema Editors AwardsBest Edited Two-Hour Movie for Non-Commercial Television[10]
Art Directors Guild AwardsExcellence in Production Design Award – Television Movie or Mini-SeriesDavid J. Bomba and John R. Jensen[11]
Costume Designers Guild AwardsExcellence in Costume Design for TelevisionRobert Turturice[12]
Directors Guild of America AwardsOutstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television or MiniseriesMichael Cristofer[13]
GLAAD Media AwardsOutstanding TV Movie or TV Mini-Series[14]
Golden Globe AwardsBest Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television[15]
Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for TelevisionAngelina Jolie
Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for TelevisionFaye Dunaway
Satellite AwardsBest Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television[16]
Best Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for TelevisionAngelina Jolie
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for TelevisionFaye Dunaway
Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television MovieAngelina Jolie[17]
Writers Guild of America AwardsLong Form – OriginalJay McInerney and Michael Cristofer[18]

Notes and References

  1. News: Crowe gets to pick Wilder’s brain. Variety. January 18, 2025. January 19, 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20250119053329/https://variety.com/1998/voices/columns/crowe-gets-to-pick-wilder-s-brain-1117863201/. live.
  2. Web site: Gia - Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes. 21 March 2023. 27 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230327035947/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gia. live.
  3. Web site: James Sanford reviews Gia. Sanford. James. 2003. Kalamazoo Gazette. https://web.archive.org/web/20061019170129/http://www.interbridge.com/jamessanford/1998/gia.html. 19 October 2006. 10 January 2015.
  4. Web site: Gia Movie Review, DVD Release. Null. Christopher. Christopher Null. 1998. Filmcritic.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20081204093924/http://www.filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf/reviews/Gia. 4 December 2008. 10 January 2015.
  5. Web site: Taking Lives (unrated director's cut - widescreen DVD + Blu-ray Disc) + Gia (unrated DVD). Chambers. Bill. 19 August 2004. Film Freak Central. https://web.archive.org/web/20120306132947/http://filmfreakcentral.net/dvdreviews/takinglives.htm. 6 March 2012. 10 January 2015.
  6. Web site: 1998 Artios Awards . November 4, 1998 . July 2, 2023 . www.castingsociety.com . en . May 1, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210501015836/https://www.castingsociety.com/awards/artios/1998 . dead .
  7. Web site: 2nd Annual TV Awards (1997-98) . Online Film & Television Association . July 2, 2023 . June 30, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180630185842/http://www.oftaawards.com/television-awards/2nd-annual-tv-awards-1997-98/ . live .
  8. Web site: Outfest: Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival 1998 . . July 2, 2023 . July 3, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230703033612/https://mubi.com/awards-and-festivals/outfest?year=1998 . live .
  9. Web site: Gia . Emmys.com . . July 2, 2023 . July 3, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230703033607/https://www.emmys.com/shows/gia . live .
  10. Web site: Nominees/Winners . . April 3, 2019 . August 22, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210822002814/https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000017/1999/1/?ref_=ev_eh . live .
  11. Web site: 3rd Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards . January 18, 2017 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160326011832/http://www.adg.org/?art=1998_award . March 26, 2016.
  12. Web site: The 1st Costume Designers Guild Awards (1999) . . July 2, 2023 . May 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230529015713/https://www.costumedesignersguild.com/awards-archives/1st-cdga-1999/ . live .
  13. Web site: 51st DGA Awards . . July 5, 2021 . October 3, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221003185432/http://www.dga.org/Awards/History/1990s/1998.aspx?value=1998 . live .
  14. Web site: Past Winners of the GLAAD Media Awards . . July 1, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20010628093923/http://www.glaad.org/org/projects/media_awards/index.html?record=70 . June 28, 2001 . dead.
  15. Web site: Gia – Golden Globes . . July 2, 2023 . . July 3, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230703033606/https://www.goldenglobes.com/tv-show/gia . live .
  16. Web site: International Press Academy website – 1999 3rd Annual SATELLITE Awards . https://web.archive.org/web/20080201175700/http://www.pressacademy.com/satawards/awards1999.shtml . 1 February 2008.
  17. Web site: The 5th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards . . May 21, 2016 . November 1, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111101205428/http://www.sagawards.org/awards/nominees-and-recipients/5th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards . live.
  18. Web site: WGA Awards 1999 . . December 24, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160307145015/http://awards.wga.org/wga-awards/previous-nominees-winners2 . March 7, 2016 . dead.

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