Rave Review: María, Full of Grace

The working Spanish title of this film is María, llena eres de gracia. What a terrific movie this was. I highly recommend it to everyone; however, the Colombian accent is mighty thick so you'd be better served if you put the English subtitles on.

This movie is rich with the scenery of Ecuador (although the screenplay is said to have taken place in rural Colombia) and the cinematography is outstanding. It is basically about las mulas ("the mules") who are usually women charged with ingesting 50-100 cocaine-filled condoms and flying into the United States undetected by Customs officials(hopefully). Although, as we see in the film, it seldom goes smoothly. The movie graphically depicts the entire journey, from poverty and uncertainty, to possible instant wealth and even more uncertainty.

The star of the movie is definitely actress Catalina Sandino Moreno, the young Colombian who stole the movie with her on-screen command. She is only the third Spanish-speaking actress (after Salma Hayek and Penélope Cruz) to be nominated for a Best Actress Oscar, which is a fact largely unknown. The other players, including the vibrant Yenny Paola Vega, who plays her best friend Blanca, add a marvelous compliment to Moreno's performance. Joshua Marston, the director, did wonderfully for his first, yes, first, feature film.

If I had a 5 star rating system, it would largely receive at least 4 and a half. There are hardly any movies that come out that change your life (whether for the worse or better), so when one does, you're better off having witnessed it. Bravo.