‘Gabriela’ Pits Family Against Romance

“Gabriela” stars Seidy Lopez in the title role as a student whose life isturned upside down when she takes a job at a mental health clinic and meets Mike (Jaime P. Gomez), a social worker. Mutual attraction is instantaneous, but Gabriela is swiftly thrown into conflict, for she feels obligated to marry a man she does not love, to please him and her family.

First-time writer-director Vincent Jay Miller cares deeply about Gabriela and Mike, whose passion for each other intensifies the more they try to resist it. But he is far too vague about filling in the background necessary to make their love story seem to be taking place in the real world. We need to know more specifics about their work and their goals; more about the institution; and more explanation of how and why Gabriela’s fiance Pat (Zach Galligan), a workaholic attorney “who never wants to do anything,” happened to become her “only source of strength.” We do know that Gabriela’s mother--her family lives in Mexico--did insist they become engaged when they started living together.

The point Miller wants to make is that, like countless other Latinas, Gabriela has been conditioned to put obedience to her family’s wishes before her own happiness and to take a practical rather than romantic view of marriage. This is an important theme, but its context is so underdeveloped that Gabriela and Mike come off looking like wimps. One also has to wonder, if Gabriela is as busy as she insists she is, how does she find time to carry on a clandestine romance with Mike?

You wouldn’t want to be a patient where Gabriela and Mike work, because everyone we meet on staff seems far more preoccupied with their romantic lives than the work at hand. Mike’s best pal at work, Douglas (Troy Winbush), has only sexual conquest on his mind. And when Gabriela’s supervisor calls her in for an evaluation, she promptly confides her despair of losing her husband of 25 years to a younger, slimmer woman. Everybody is nice to the patients, but they surely do take a low priority.

Evelina Fernandez, as Gabriela’s chic mother, gives the film some much-needed edge, and the incomparable Lupe Ontiveros contributes some desperately needed lighter moments as Gabriela’s vivacious grandmother.

Technically, “Gabriela” is mediocre, and for the most part looks either fuzzy or murky, and its pace drags. It is nonetheless a good showcase for Gomez and Lopez, who are talented and have plenty of charisma, the stunning Lopez in particular. “Gabriela” has won the support of the Premiere Weekend Club, a new organization formed to support films that present authentic depictions of Latinos.

* Unrated. Times guidelines: some language, lovemaking and adult themes.

‘Gabriela’

Jaime P. Gomez: Mike

Seidy Lopez: Gabriela

Zach Galligan: Pat

Troy Winbush: Douglas

A Power Point Films release of a Grindstone Pictures production. Writer-director Vincent Jay Miller. Producers Miller, Vincent J. Francillon. Executive producers Jeff Silberman, Michael A. Miller. Cinematographer Adrian Rudomin. Editors John Hoffhines, Dan Holland, Pond. Music Craig Stuart Garfinkle. Costumes Violeta Villacorta. Production designer Anne Cartegnie. Art director Michael Scaccia. Set decorator Alodie Lopez. Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes.

At selected theaters.