Maria Full of Grace Movie Review 2004

Moreno (in her film debut) gives a graceful performance in the title role of also-debuting director Marston's all-too-human look at desperation and heroin trafficking in Colombia. Maria is a 17-year-old working for a pittance at a flower factory in her rural hometown. She realizes she's pregnant just as she impulsively quits her job and is ripe for the sweet talk of Franklin (Toro), who tells Maria about all the money to be made if she'll only become a drug mule. After swallowing heroin-filled pellets, Maria boards a plane for New York along with her best friend Blanca (Vega) and fellow courier Lucy (Lopez). Problems arise when Lucy becomes ill, thugs threaten the girls if any of the drugs come up missing, and Maria flees into the city's Colombian immigrant community for safety. Spanish with subtitles.

Distribution

Warner Home Video, Inc., 5775 Linder Canyon Rd., Westlake Village, CA 91362, URL: http://whv.warnerbros.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 101 minutes.
Originally from United States.

Cast and Crew

Genres

South America, Smuggler's Blues, New York, New York, Pregnant Pauses

Screenplay

Joshua Marston

Cast

Catalina Sandino Moreno, Yenny Paola Vega, Giulied Lopez, John Alex Toro, Patricia Rae, Wilson Guerrero, Jaime Osorio Gomez, Johanna Andrea Mora, Orlando Tobon, Fernando Velasquez

Cinematography

Jim Denault

Director

Joshua Marston

Music

Jacobo Lieberman, Leonardo Heiblum

Other

Alex Wolfe, Lynn Fainchtein, Lee Percy, Fernando Velasquez, Anne McCabe, Yann Blanc, Sarah Beers, Lauren Press, Monica Marulanda, Debbie De Villa

Producer

Paul Mezey, Journeyman Pictures, Tucan Producciones Cinematograficas, Altercine, HBO Films

Awards

Ind. Spirit 2005: Actress (Moreno), First Screenplay.