Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Biographical drama has strong drug use, language, and sex.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Gia
What's the Story?
GIA portrays the life of supermodel Gia Carangi, who rose to fame in the late 1970s with her unique look and bold attitude. As her career hit dizzying heights, her personal life spiraled out of control, with addiction gradually derailing her success and taking its toll on her health -- eventually leading to her tragic death from AIDS-related complications at the age of just 26.
Is It Any Good?
A film about a woman's meteoric rise to fame, made shortly before Jolie's own career went stratospheric, this is a widely overlooked production that shows the incredible breadth of the actor's talent. In Gia, Jolie flows expertly between damaged innocent, confident rebel, desperate addict, and lost soul. Before eventually bringing great emotional depth to her final scenes of fading life. Though a dramatized version of the supermodel's life, characters talking directly to camera in interview settings and excerpts from Gia's diary lend the film a documentary feel in places that serves to remind viewers that this tragedy was real. And it very much plays like a tragedy -- tough going in places but with enough energy and intensity to propel it forward toward the inevitable end.
Unsteady camerawork and lingering close-ups on Jolie's frenetic features reflect Gia's mental state and tell the story in a stylish way. A kind of soft-core lens on some of the intimate same-sex scenes feels unnecessary and borderline sleazy in places. But despite these misgivings, overall the film hits hard, is perfectly cast, and smoothly structured to tell the cautionary tale of a fascinating figure.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Gia portrayed its central character. Was it a realistic portrayal? How did the fashion industry impact her behavior? Do you think Gia's life might have been different if she were alive today?
Discuss the drug use in the movie. Was it glamorized or encouraged, or was it less about drug use and more about the deeper themes the movie explores?
How did the movie portray sex? Was it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
Talk about the strong language used. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
The movie used words from Gia's own journal as part of the story structure. What effect did that have and what did it tell you about her character?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : January 31, 1998
- Cast : Angelina Jolie , Elizabeth Mitchell , Faye Dunaway
- Director : Michael Cristofer
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : HBO
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 120 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : graphic depiction of drug abuse, strong sexual content, language and some violence
- Last updated : December 12, 2025
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