An exploration into the life of a multi-talented star with one of the most accomplished careers in the history of entertainment, Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It works due to the transparent and energetic spirit of Moreno herself.

Rita Moreno loves to talk about her life, and there is indeed a lot to talk about. The winner of the Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony, Moreno’s professional career is equalled by her personal life which includes relationships with Marlon Brando and Elvis Presley. Breaking into Hollywood during the studio system era, the Puerto-Rican born Moreno had to face years of sexism and racist stereotyping before she found success and her own voice to rise above the scum of Hollywood. For a life dedicated to the stage and screen, Moreno’s own life very much feels like a rags to riches movie.

Director Mariem Perez Riera (Lovesickness) saw this potential and delivers a documentary in Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It that is as potent in its messaging as it is in its biographical elements. Tapping into Moreno’s activist spirit, Riera presents Moreno’s story as one that deals with the struggles of being an idealist Latina in the very white bread entertainment industry. The #metoo movement, which was headline news at the time of filming, is very much prevalent throughout the film, and Moreno shares her own stories of horror as a young actress sexually abused by Hollywood power players.

Moreno’s transparent, matter of fact and passionate spirit makes for compelling if not at times irksome viewing. The latter is especially felt when she discusses how the death of her late husband of 45 years, Leonard Gordon, was a liberating and almost joyous moment for the fiercely independent star. If there was ever a case for an “inside voice”, that would be it.

Riera of course adds the usual traditional talking heads and archival footage, reminding younger viewers especially of the vast talents in Moreno’s arsenal, ranging from her breakthrough turn as the fiery Anita in West Side Story, setting the stage on fire with The Muppets with her rendition of “Fever”, and brining wisdom and gravitas as Sister Peter Marie on HBO series Oz.

Above all, Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It is a story of a passionate artist who refused to tow the line to become a force on the screen and off.