Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
For those who have gone to see Shrek 2, why not watch a film about a different sort of mule? Inspired by real life, including a local community leader who has a cameo role in the film, Maria Full of Grace concerns a rebellious seventeen year old in Colombia. We can relate to her desire to escape from lousy economic circumstances, and even worse, being stuck where her spirit is not allowed to soar. An ill timed pregnancy only makes matters that much worse.
So, when without much thought about the consequences she accepts an offer to become a drug mule, we understand. And, a bit of research would determine that drug mules often meet her general description: poor young women without many alternatives, who can desperately use the money. Also, they are not likely to have many moments of self-doubt about the ethics of the whole thing. The potential mule might be a bit uneasy though after viewing the ingestion of around sixty condom wrapped [looking like gigantic white tic tacs in the ads] capsules of heroin. Or, the stressful trip to the drop-off point in New Jersey.
The well rounded nature of the movie is suggested by the power of each component of the film, each with a different focus. The first third takes place in Colombia with enough power and sense of character that a whole film could be based on it alone. The second third involves the preparation and actual drug run with a highpoint in the air, one of the best scenes I have seen on a plane. The final third concerns the aftermath, including her time in a Colombian community in Queens, given an additional sense of authenticity because it was partly based on the director's own experiences. A plot point about the drugs rubbed me the wrong way, but overall, this too was an excellent segment.
An ad for the movie has a tagline "based on 1,000 true stories." I don't know the full truth to that, but the film definitely has a sense of veracity. It humanizes a despised and/or pitied group while not shunning the ugly side involved in the job they do. The ultimate success of the film arises from the excellence of the leading actress (Catalina Sandino Moreno), the writer/director, and the cast as a whole. As to the title, it suggests that grace shows itself in rather surprising ways.
Maria Full of Grace is the first feature for both the director and star, and if they keep this level of quality up, we will hear a lot more about them in the future.