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debrahmalcolm
Reviews
Gabriela (2001)
Beautiful Love Story
"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.