Film Review: Maria Full of Grace

Director: Joshua Marston

A 2004 film made jointly between America and Colombia that mainly uses Spanish as that is the language of the main characters. It was critically acclaimed on release with the main actress Catalina Sandino Moreno winning the Best Actress Award at the Berlin Film Festival and she was also nominated for an Academy Award for her performance as Maria.

Maria Alvarez is a seventeen year old girl living in rural Colombia with her single mother and a sister who is unemployed whilst looking after her baby, with no help from the father Maria is relied upon to provide an income for the family working at a flower plantation. After a disagreement with her manager she quits her job much to the chagrin of her family but finds work through a man she briefly met at a party as a drugs mule. The mule downplays the risks to her and explains she could make a lot of money but as she agrees to help she realises just what it entails.

Maria with the 62 pellets of heroin to swallow

The bleakness of rural life in Colombia is accurately depicted and excellently portrayed by the cast as the reality of few jobs in legal professions is apparent. The surrounding countryside looks beautiful but is clearly the backdrop for a large criminal empire in the manufacture of cocaine and heroin. The scenes of Maria swallowing the pellets of wrapped up heroin is incredibly intense and un-nerving as you realise the risk she is taking. Between arrest going through customs and the possibility of a pellet splitting which would kill her it makes for incredibly tense viewing. Catalina Sandino Moreno is genuine and likeable in the lead.

In many respects it is similar to the film Sugar (review here), as a Spanish speaking youngster who is out of their depth ends up in the enormous confusing world of New York City. The parallels continue as both films carve out an engaging and thrilling premise but are unsure exactly where to go when they get there and surprisingly end in a very similar manner as well. Apart from a disappointing 20mins in the second half it is achingly close to being a truly exceptional film.

3/4 Fascinating and harrowing opening hour is left rudderless by unsure finale