Gloria

Gloria

Year: 1999

Runtime: 108 min

Language: Portuguese

Director: Sidney Lumet

Budget: $30M

DramaThrillerCrime

After being released from prison, Gloria returns to New York City seeking a fresh start and retribution for past wrongs. She finds herself entangled with a dangerous criminal underworld and confronts a devastating truth: a young boy has been orphaned by the violent actions of her former lover. Haunted by this discovery, Gloria must grapple with her past and decide whether to seek vengeance or protect the innocent.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Gloria (1999) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of Gloria (1999), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

Gloria Sharon Stone has just gotten out of prison after serving three years to save her boyfriend, Kevin. While behind bars, she realizes he never visited, and when she reunites with him, she makes it clear the relationship is over and that she wants the money he promised her for taking the rap. Kevin refuses to pay, laying bare a betrayal that sets the tone for what follows.

Meanwhile, the gang’s accountant tries to protect himself by creating a computer disk that lists all the people involved in the outfit’s criminal activities. The plan backfires in a brutal, shocking sequence: as someone tries to retrieve the disk, one of Kevin’s trigger-happy henchmen wipes out the accountant, his wife, his mother-in-law and his daughter. Only the seven-year-old son Nicky survives, is quickly caught, and is brought to Kevin’s apartment. It is there that Gloria and Nicky cross paths, and Gloria must decide whether to risk her life to save the boy.

Gloria’s encounter with Nicky sparks an unlikely connection. The child’s innocence and sharp, perceptive nature begin to affect her, and she finds herself drawn to him in a way she never anticipated. She confesses that she hates kids and has no kids of her own, yet she becomes a caregiver and a guardian in this perilous world. She initially tries to ditch him in a subway, but Nicky returns, and as they spend more time together, their bond deepens into something resembling a fragile family.

The danger outside mirrors the danger inside Gloria’s heart. News reports reveal that Nicky’s family was killed by the mob, and the boy flees the hotel room where he and Gloria have been staying. Gloria pursues him across the city, and when Nicky sneaks onto a train heading toward 158th Street, she begs the cops to find him, insisting that her child is on that train. After Nicky is eventually apprehended, the two share a quiet, intimate moment back at the hotel where Gloria gives Nicky a bath. Lying awake, Gloria hears Nicky wake up and, with a tremor in his voice, he asks, “Did it really happen?”

The pursuit resumes as Kevin and the gang close in, separating Gloria and Nicky in a crowded cityscape. Nicky is captured again, but Gloria manages to secure a tense exchange: the boy for the accountant’s disk, negotiated with Ruby at a race track. In the end, Gloria takes Nicky to a boarding school, but the two choose to stay together as a makeshift family, intent on a future where they can rely on each other rather than the mercy of a ruthless world.

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:58

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Movies about a protector and child like Gloria

A cynical guardian is forced to protect a vulnerable child in a brutal world.If you liked Gloria's dynamic of a tough ex-con protecting an orphaned boy, explore more movies like it. These films feature cynical guardians thrust into the role of protector for a vulnerable child, creating tense, emotionally heavy journeys of found family amidst danger.

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The narrative pattern revolves around a reluctant protector, often with a violent or criminal past, whose path crosses with an innocent child in grave danger. Their journey is a linear survival story, forcing the protector to confront their own demons while navigating external threats, culminating in a bonded, found-family relationship.

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Movies are grouped here by the powerful central dynamic between a jaded adult and a child, and the shared tone of tense, high-intensity survival. They explore themes of redemption through protection, sacrifice, and the unexpected bonds formed in extreme circumstances.

Gritty urban crime thrillers like Gloria

Fast-paced thrillers where past sins force a violent confrontation in the city.Fans of Gloria's tense, fast-paced dive into the criminal underworld will find similar movies here. These gritty urban thrillers focus on characters grappling with their past, seeking revenge or survival in a dangerous world, often leading to a bittersweet resolution.

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These narratives typically begin with a trigger from the past—a release from prison, a betrayal—that propels the protagonist on a linear, urgent path through a dangerous urban landscape. The story is driven by direct conflict with a clear antagonist, focusing on survival, revenge, and a final moral reckoning with one's history.

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These films share a cohesive vibe defined by a tense tone, fast pacing, and high intensity. They are united by their gritty urban settings, straightforward crime plots centered on moral dilemmas, and emotionally heavy journeys that often end on a bittersweet note.

Unlock the Full Story of Gloria

Don't stop at just watching — explore Gloria in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Gloria is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Gloria Timeline

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Gloria Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Gloria

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Gloria Spoiler-Free Summary

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Gloria Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Gloria

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