Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It

Hollywood still has much work to do, but Moreno rightly gets her flowers.

Overall, she emerges just as vampish, feisty and fun as you'd expect, and as a gracious giver of speeches at ceremonies where she collects endless lifetime achievement awards, her biggest side-hustle next to acting.

The documentary is rich in archival clips, but mostly it's just rich in her -- and Moreno is tons of fun.

Director Mariem Pérez Riera never gets in the way of her subject and lets viewers feel Moreno's spirit, her vibrancy and her energy.

Even in a film that makes no bones about presenting its subject in a flattering, softening light, this 89-year-old stage and screen legend has refreshingly few qualms about saying exactly what she thinks.

The new documentary Rita Moreno: Just A Girl Who Decided To Go For It reiterates many of those anecdotes, but it doesn't tell us much that Moreno hasn't divulged already in her 2013 memoir or in countless interviews over the years.

Ultimately a story about persistence in the face of discrimination, the film exposes the festering wounds of Hollywood’s racist past to show the systematic issues, like colorism, that are still in play today.

Its title may seem overly lengthy, but by the end of the film, it's clear why that phrase truly applies to Moreno.

At 89, Morenos petite frame still radiates star charisma and vitality. Viewers will come away from this film feeling like Moreno didnt just live life; she earned it.

Works due to the transparent and energetic spirit of Moreno herself.