On M List of Movie Reviews
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Maria Full of Grace (2004)
Rate:
9
Viewed:
4/07
4/07:
I hadn't heard of Maria Full of Grace until now.
When the first mention of Bogota was made, I automatically knew it would be a film about drugs. But where
the plot was going, it turned out to be quite dark.
It paints a somber picture of girls who swallow pellets of cocaine to make some money because
they can't find other means. When I say the word "pellets," I mean they're the size of meatballs. They have to swallow
seventy of them! It sounds like a nightmare.
The walkthrough of a young girl's life is much appreciated which is well-paced and absorbing. There's a contrast of two
different sides: Colombia and New York City that's heightened with fear, anxiety, and suspense. The performances are
outstanding, but it's Catalina Sandino Moreno who carries the film from start to end.
All in all, not to glorify drugs in any way, shape, or form, Maria Full of Grace is an impressive picture about what
it's like to be a drug mule.