Gia

"We use them up, and throw them away! And "I want Sirloin Meat!" these are precisely accurate phrases of how models are viewed and used, not as people, but as merchandise to pump up sales for brainwashed consumers.

If they didn't make a film about Gia Marie Carangi, I'd never know about her; and I'm glad they did, because it seems to me that her life; despite her many downs, was just as important and poignant as any of us. This 1998 film written by Jay McInerney and Michael Cristopher whom also directed the film was expertly played out by Angelina Jolie and Elizabeth Mitchell. Of course I found the lesbian sex moments, completely amplified and un-called for; but I am not a male film-maker, and some queries just don't have answers, like Muholland Drive and Black Swan to name a few.

Despite the girl-on-girl loving, I found the transitions unique and alarming, with total red screens, blurring and out-of-focus shots, which worked wonderfully with the film's composition. I felt that if the film-makers were able to use side by side shots and or footage of real interviews and photos of the real Gia Carangi, and her family and friends it would have made an even greater impact or familiarity of her. I'd heard many things about this film; some good and some not as nice, and now I can understand why, but despite the awry and shocking nature of this film, I must say I quite enjoyed it and am glad that I'd finally had the opportunity to see it.

It's messages were profound and necessary, not only for young girls and boys in the model industry, but for people, like so many of us who are lost, craving love and attention and because of it led astray in a thick net, that some of us never find our way out of. Thank-fully I haven't succumb to the temptations and alleviations of this world, but I can certainly relate to this dark side of so-called glamour and success. Gia Marie Carangi was a bombshell and I'd say an aspiring writer, and because of her propelled success and lifestyle and lack of love received and also for herself, she dug herself in a hole and buried herself at the tender age of 26. If one isn't grounded and comfortable with themselves, I can see how easily they can all let things go. I adored the bit said by Francesco (one of her photographers who never gave up on her) played by Edmund Genest:

"I know, I know, life is so disappointing. Here you are, you have arrived. You are here, this is your moment, and what do you have? You have pain. And when you have everything, what do you have? You have nothing. When everything is right, everything is wrong. It's disappointing, it's confusing. This is life. What can you do?"

I found that the balance between Gia's fanatical behavior brought on by the hurt and drug abuse, and the eloquence she sometimes achieved through her writing was spot-on. I thought that she struck gold when she said on the air-craft, "Being somebody doesn't make you anybody anyway…" I know that in this life, everybody wants to be somebody, and they already are unique and precious individuals, but it is always extreme power, greed or often-times just love that people crave that make them feel this way.

What we forget is that we are somebody to everybody, and that we are always being watched and admired by people we least expect, so every little thing that you do, is profound and worthy.
Faye Dunaway's answer to her on that airplane was: "You will always be somebody to me!"

I believe it's just those words that people in anxiety or fear need to hear, but more importantly need to understand and believe.

Faye Dunaway who played Wilhelmina Cooper was delightful to watch, and this film was a bit special to me also as when I first was approached to model, it was Wilhelmina that also first gave me that chance; and the fact that Gia/Angelina Jolie used the phrase 'doux-doux' when she called her lover (a beautiful term of endearment) [hahah]. I know many dislike Angelina Jolie, just as others critique Woody Allen and Madonna's life-styles, but I always strive to separate their personal lives from their performances or work lives. There is beauty and beast in all of us, good and evil, light and darkness, and one should never be judged, otherwise we also should be judged. Angelina Jolie is a phenomenal actress, and it is shown here again. Playing dark, un-likeable and ugly characters is not an easy thing to do, and even if it may be for some, to have the comfort and courage to transform your beauty and 'image' to something as sinister takes heart. Angelina Jolie isn't afraid to go there, and I admire that.

I'll leave you with the last conversation supposedly had between Francesco and Gia which went:

Gia: "Thank-you."

Francesco: "Gia, this is life; not heaven, you don't have to be perfect!"