The Glorias ★★

Julie Taymor

Starring Alicia Vikander, Julianne Moore, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Lulu Wilson, Gloria Steinem

Biopics are a thing of popularity in present day cinema. Many greats of all walks of life have had their stories documented and now Gloria Steinem has joined that roster.

And the benefit in a biopic is that the story is already there, leaving less flaws to be gained, and when the only praise to be had with a biopic is the quality of storytelling, it is not necessarily a positive piece of criticism.

Both Alicia Vikander and Julianne Moore who play Steinem for the most part of the film give equally acceptable performances. They have encapsulated what Gloria was all about, nailing her accent and mannerisms along with it. But director Julie Taymor seems to focus more on the rekindling of Steinem's past with her present which jars the plot and takes the focus away from potentially great moments of acting.

The Glorias tries to be more experimental than it needs to be, introducing concepts well in to the second act that just feel strange and unnecessary. Plus, although praise should be made for a lack of male character being shown in a positive light in this difficult time in Steinem's life, those narrative choices are overshadowed by weird animation and existential moments.

This film can't decide whether it's a biopic, experimental drama or in some places a documentary, and although the performances are solid and consistent, the structure is strange and direction unfocused.

The Glorias available Sunday the 7th March on NowTV and Sky Movies