Review of Maria Full of Grace (2004) by Corrie F — 29 Jul 2010

3.5/4.0.

Maria Alvarez (Catalina Sandino Moreno) is a 17-year-old living in small house with three generations of her family. She supports her household by working at a flower plantation. She discovers she is pregnant carrying the child of her immature boyfriend whom she realizes that she doesn?t really love, and she leaves her job after clashing with her employer. Desperate, she gets the opportunity to make very good money as a mule?trafficking drugs by swallowing pellets out of Colombia into the USA (New York to be precise). Other girls are carrying out the same task at the same time including a close friend and a woman she meets while being recruited and draws sympathy toward. The experience turns out to be a life changer. ?Maria Full of Grace? is a great little movie that works on some levels as a thriller. One feels the tension in Maria?s life especially as she knowingly ventures into a very dangerous and unknown territory. Writer-director Joshua Marston wisely structures the story in two segments that could each work as great movies on their own. The first is the build-up where we get to see Maria?s tough life at Colombia and the second is where we see the actual trafficking of the drugs. The whole movie would not have worked if it weren?t for a great performance by Moreno (that garnered her an Oscar nomination)?she carries the movie from start to finish in one of those rare powerful performances devoid of redundant overblown moments.