Gia (VHS, 1998, Unrated version)

I bought this film not knowing exactly what I was going to see when I got it. Young children definitely should not be around to see this one. It's definitely for mature audiences, but I pretty much knew that when I bought this movie. That aside, it's definitely a great story and Angelina Jolie gives one of her best performances as Gia Carangi, one of America's first supermodels.

Gia grew up in Philadelphia and at the age of 17, she gets a free ride to New York City to see a modeling agent. She then picks up jobs here and there modeling and then breaks through to become a supermodel, posing for the cover of Cosmopolitan, Vogue, and other fashion magazines. She has the look that all fashion execs want, and her services become a high demand. Along the way, Gia has many sexual encounters, mainly with other women. She sort of settles down with one, but drugs get in the way. Drugs keep her from keeping a steady relationship with her girlfriend, and they also threaten to ruin her modeling career. She can no longer stay sober, and fashion execs give up on her. She becomes too much of a risk. And when given the choice to be with her girlfriend or her drugs, she sadly makes the wrong choice. The movie then takes a sad twist as she seems to be getting everything in her life back together.

Without giving away any more of the story, Gia is a definite must have for Angelina Jolie fans. She won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of a woman who had absolutely everything, but drugs destroyed everything that she had. I never heard of Gia Carangi before buying this DVD, but I'm glad I was able to learn more about the rise and fall of one of America's first supermodels. I definitely recommend the movie.