After his family was killed by a settlement in criminal circles, neighbor Gloria (Gena Rowlands) looks after the little Phil (John Adames). This is not an easy task because (1) despite his age of 6 years Phil is beginning to behave like a little Latino macho (2) Phil is chased by the maffia because he has a book containing knowledge that the maffia is dying to get. It doesn't take long before Gloria, who once was a gangster sweetheart, must confront her old friends to defend Phil.
The story of "Gloria" has much in common with films such as "The Client" (1994, Joel Schumacher) and "Leon" (1994, Luc Besson). In the former film the protecting adult is however not originating from criminal circles and in the latter film the orphan does not posses information that makes her the subject of a chase.
Despite a very convincing performance by Rowlands, the film itself is meager. Some of its drawbacks are related to the story. Why takes his father great care to bring Phil into safety by their neighbor and than gives him a book that brings him into danger again? Why keeps Gloria running into Maffioso by accident on every corner of the street, leading to repetitive action scenes? Another drawback are the very adult like and somewhat wooden dialogue-lines of Phil, who do not match to his age at all.
All in all the psychological movies of John Cassavetes are to be prefered above "Gloria".
The story of "Gloria" has much in common with films such as "The Client" (1994, Joel Schumacher) and "Leon" (1994, Luc Besson). In the former film the protecting adult is however not originating from criminal circles and in the latter film the orphan does not posses information that makes her the subject of a chase.
Despite a very convincing performance by Rowlands, the film itself is meager. Some of its drawbacks are related to the story. Why takes his father great care to bring Phil into safety by their neighbor and than gives him a book that brings him into danger again? Why keeps Gloria running into Maffioso by accident on every corner of the street, leading to repetitive action scenes? Another drawback are the very adult like and somewhat wooden dialogue-lines of Phil, who do not match to his age at all.
All in all the psychological movies of John Cassavetes are to be prefered above "Gloria".