Home
| Search
| Now Playing
| News
| My Movies
| Games
| Boards
| Help
| US Movie Showtimes
| Top 250
| Register
| Recommendations
| Widgets
RSS
| Box Office
| Index
| Trailers
| Jobs
|
IMDbPro.com - Free Trial
| IMDb Resume
Copyright © 1990-2009
IMDb.com, Inc.
Terms and Privacy Policy under which this service is provided to you.
An 
company.
Advertise on IMDb.
License our content.
Own the rights?
Buy it at Amazon Rent it at blockbuster.comDiscuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsIMDb user comments for
Gabriela (2001) More at IMDbPro »
101 out of 101 people found the following comment useful :-
Saved My Date, 17 August 2001
Author: dell-1
This is a good romantic style of film which makes it a good date movie. I was on a first date when I saw this movie. Something about this movie "Clicked" with both of us. It really draws you into to the whole idea of romantic love. The two leads are hot on screen which leads to much heat in the audience.
Anyway, my date and I met for coffee before the movie and everything was a little uneasy. But when we left the movie, we ended up talking for hours about the situations in the movie. All I can say is that because of Gabriella we are still seeing eachother a few weeks later. This is pretty good in my book. When is the video coming out?
89 out of 89 people found the following comment useful :-
Brilliant, especially for Stay Haiduk fans, 13 June 2003
Author: Billy from Los Angeles
I saw this film on the recommendation of a friend who's another Stacy Haiduk fan, and boy was I happy I did.
This has to be one of the ten best love stories of the last twenty years.
The characters are true to life, witty and well-acted by a brilliant cast.
The only disappointment is that we don't see enough of the great Stacy Haiduk, but the five minutes or so she is on-screen are well worth it as it's one of the best parts of her career, and so funny!
90 out of 91 people found the following comment useful :-
Beautiful Love Story, 20 February 2003
Author: Debrah from Los Angeles
"Gabriela" is one of those rare treats: a love story that is genuinely heartfelt and without the sentimentality that plagues so many romantic comedies.
Perhaps this is the result of the movie being an independent film and done outside of the studio system, which leads one to wonder why there isn't more independent love stories being produced nowadays and instead the independent film movement seems stuck in Tarantino-ersatz mode.
I am saying that to emphasize how much I appreciate the kind of movie that Vincent Miller, who also produced the film, clearly a good move to preserve his vision, has given us today. It's all the more remarkable that it is his first feature film. Rarely have I seen a first film of a director that feels so accomplished (yes, I know, there is Citizen Kane, but how many more are there, certainly not that many recently).
A film would be dead in its tracks without good actors and Jaime Gomez is a revelation and I hope to see a lot more of him in the future.
Seidy Lopez is also excellent, and it's nice to see her get a much different part from what she did in "Mi Vida Loca".
Finally a special mention for Stacy Haiduk, who's an actress I've always liked, and the reason I rented the film after seeing she was in it, and she completely steals the scene she is in (no offense to Jaime who gallantly serves up the scene for her with lots of sensitivity) and should have gotten some sort of award if they only had a Cameo of year or something like that.
Great film. I'll see it again with great pleasure.
91 out of 93 people found the following comment useful :-
Engrossing and realistic, 19 June 2004
Author: Julia from Los Angeles
Congratulations to the people who made this absorbing film. It is both funny and touching.
The actors feel like they are real people and the sets are vibrant with a lot of realistic little touches.
You really feel like you've visited Mexico for a day or two after spending time with the fast-talking, sweet yet straight-talking grandma.
A particular kudo for the depiction of the patients in the mental institution. It's high time films stopped depicting them as being all crazed maniacs, just like it's high time to stop depicting psychologists as systematically sleeping with their patients. The film does neither and it is one of the most realistic portrayals I have yet seen.
Overall, one of the most pleasant two hours I have spent recently. As far away as it is possible from the overbearing bad movies of this summer.
92 out of 95 people found the following comment useful :-
Excellent Independent Film, 11 January 2005
Author: Stacy Kancheli from United States
This is the way independent films were meant to be. Far for the small blood-lusting crowd of people aching to see yet another body part be sliced away in a new "art" film, "Gabriela" delivers a great story with real characters.
Clearly made for very little money, "Gabriela" delivers the look and feel of a "real" movie which in these days of amateurish-looking videos passing as films is high praise indeed.
But it delivers much more: great acting, a compelling story that actually feels real and heartfelt and a wonderfully evocative music score.
People who are lucky enough to discover this gem will remember for a long time a number of the great little moments of the film.
Hopefully, a harbinger of better things to come in independent films, "Gabriela" made me feel that keeping an eye out for new releases wasn't a complete waste of time.
92 out of 95 people found the following comment useful :-
Brilliant Indie, 12 January 2003
Author: peterstrauss from New Jersey
One of the best independent films I have seen in years.
This film succeeds where many fail because of the well-rounded qualities of all its contributions. The screenplay is well crafted and the story moves at a comfortable pace, neither too slow nor too fast while humorous moments abound.
The performances are uniformly excellent and it's hard to single out any performer but I particularly enjoyed Jaime Gomez in the lead, Stacy Haiduk as the flighty Hungarian Princess as well as Zach Galligan as the third leg of the romantic triangle.
The look of the film is awesome, especially for an independent film. The director, Vincent Miller and Adrian Rudomin, his DP, eschewed the boring, ugly flat look of many indies in favor of a layered, rich look that it properly amazing.
The music is also first rate, from an evocative score, to great Jazz source pieces by Leo Marchildon and a beautiful re-recording of the classic "Te Amo".
It's a film that you'll want to see again and again (just a note so you know there are defective DVDs around - insist on getting the right one and you'll be richly rewarded with the great picture and sound).
92 out of 95 people found the following comment useful :-
More Like This One Please!, 17 July 2002
Author: (MovieObsession@depechemodemail.com)
This is a beautiful romance with great acting as well as beautiful visuals. Beauty is not skin deep as we see the characters struggle with their fears and insecurities about love.
A thoughtful romantic movie, this goes far beyond the typical soapy romance. The characters struggle with love while they try to help those lost in life at the mental clinic where they work. In an endearing moment one of the disturbed patients is diagnosing the professional, telling her that she's not happy.
The movie is a beauty to watch too. The lighting is lush and stylized which works great with the gorgeous production design. This aspect is unusual for a love story.
A great find... Please make more like this one!
93 out of 97 people found the following comment useful :-
Rocked My World When I Needed It, 26 July 2002
Author: Fuzzy Bear (fuzz@mailpanda.com) from New York, NY
This movie really made me feel happy about love and life at a time when I really needed it. I guess I have always been that way about movies, especially romantic movies. At first I did not think I was going to get into it, but along the way, I really got into it. It restored my faith in love. What can I say? It is just one of those movies for me.
I can't relate to people who don't like this and other movies about love. Sometimes I think those people who hate love stories are mean spirited, angry and basically lonely. (Hello, they are lonely for a reason). But anyway people like me who like romantic movies will like this one.
I like the acting and found it very emotionally real. I did not know the actors by name but I knew all of their faces. This movie restored my faith in love and life. I gave this movie a 9 out of 10.
88 out of 88 people found the following comment useful :-
Quality independent film, 7 July 2002
Author: (rubenfabioguevara) from Los Angeles, CA
Overall, I think this is a very good film. I think some of the performances are better than others - Troy Winbush and Lupe Ontiveros are hilarious! The story is a simple one, but it keeps you guessing - I really didn't know what the character of Gabriela would do in the end. The film keeps you entertained throughout with a sense of humor and some off the wall characters. You can tell the film was an independent film, with a few of the scenes a little grainy, but visually it is quite impressive. I definitely recommend people check this one out.
71 out of 72 people found the following comment useful :-
Great Love Story with Humor and Wit, 13 February 2001
Author: steven-101 from Los Angeles
"Gabriela" is a great love story with intense emotion and also a lot of humor. This movie is in the tradition of great love stories like "Moonstuck", "Pretty Woman" and "Jerry McGuire". I can't tell you how long it's been since I saw a romantic film that I liked as much as this one (and I see lots of movies). I like the sense of reality of the situation, which involves a love triangle, with very believable people.
The movie is a joy to watch for many reasons, ranging from the great acting, to beautiful lighting. This is an independent movie that glimmers and shines. It has none of the cynical smugness of some of the so-called independent movies I have seen in the past few years. It has none of the sick and twisted weirdness of some of the other indie films that have been out lately. There is also a lot of humor in the movie as well. "Gabriela" is a good, engaging movie.
The story has a rich setting with great characters. The setting is unusual for a love story, since the main characters work as social workers at a mental health clinic. The patients are going through real issues as the main characters fall in love. Friends and relatives try to interfere with the lovers at every step of the way. They present a number of points of view about love and relations which give the film a great context that is usually missing in the garbage usually passed off as a Hollywood love story.
Jaime Gomez and Seidy Lopez create excitement on the screen while they deal with real human emotions. Gomez plays a tough but sensitive leading man (not a wimpy indie lead). Seidy plays a softer, more sensitive role than usual and is breathtaking as Gabriela. It was a pleasure to see some of my favorite actors appear as memorable characters. Lupe Ontoveros was a joy to watch as Gabriela's frantic grandmother. Lemont Bently shines as a mental patient.
While this movie is a quality film, it is very entertaining, every step of the way. I will definitely see this movie again.
Add another comment
Related Links