Maria Full of Grace

Pros: Moreno, moral ambiguity, depth of characterization
Cons: The ending is a little weak

I suppose there is some legitimacy to the idea that a life lived without taking any risks is not a life lived at all. That if you risk nothing, you gain nothing. There’s certainly some truth there - if we all stayed in our “comfort zone” ...

Pros: Patricia Rae, location shooting
Cons: pace, plausibility, some very predictable elements

First-time director(/writer) Joshua Marston's "Marķa Full of Grace" acquired many awards, including the Audience Award at Sundance in 2004, and as its title character Catalina Sandino Moreno received an Oscar nomination as best actress. The movie was ...

Pros: beautifully shot, interesting subject, authenticity
Cons: somewhat condescending, plodding, episodic, lacking dramatic kick

Maria Full of Grace tells the untold story of the unnumbered and invisible. Maria Alvarez (Catalina Sandino Moreno) is a mule. She makes her living by risking her life to transport drugs (in this case, heroin) into the country using the one device ...

Pros: Where to begin? Story, acting, direction, cinematography, music, editing, subtlety, worthiness of subject matter
Cons: Only that the film is in limited release; it should be seen by everyone, everywhere.

It would be difficult to find a more naturalistic, intense, well-acted, or gripping drama than Maria Full of Grace (2004), released with refreshing timing during the slim pickings of summertime blockbusters. An extraordinary first feature by a ...

Pros: Marston's Direction/Script, Cinematography, Look, Soundtrack, & Cast led by Moreno.
Cons: None.

Colombia has been known to many with a very shaky and troubling history with drugs. With cartels leading the way for drug runners, it makes things for people in smaller villages with very poor economic problems becoming mules or working for cartels ...

Pros: Strong message about drug trafficking and the plight of petty couriers; interesting story.
Cons: Average effects and poor character development.

Question: how much heroin can you pack in your stomach for a nine-hour flight? Maria Alvarez (Catalina S. Moreno), the heroine (no pun intended) of Maria Full of Grace, succeeds in using hers to bring about 650 grams from Colombia to the United ...

Pros: Catalina Sordeno Moreno's superlative performance; haunting story and excellent directing
Cons: Resolution is a bit sugar coated for grim dangers title heroine faces

Life has not turned up roses for Maria Alvarez (Catalina Sandino Moreno). Seventeen, pretty and possessed with a stubborn, independent streak that belies her circumstances, she quits her menial job in a Colombian flower factory chucking the thorns from ...

Pros: A terrific debut for both the filmmaker and his leading lady.
Cons: None that were distracting.

Maria Alvarez (Catalina Sandino Moreno) is a seventeen year-old Columbian girl who works in a factory stripping thorns and leaves from long stem roses being packaged for florist shops. When she raises her hand one day and tells her boss that she needs to ...

Pros: Dialogue; subject; direction and cinematography.
Cons: It's painful to watch.

There really is just something creepy about a pregnant 17-year old Colombian girl accepting a job where she ingests pellets filled with heroin so that she can take them in a plane to the United States to have them exit her body and be given to drug ...

Pros: Good Acting
Cons: Slow Moving at times

Maria Full of grace is a powerful and somewhat saddening movie. In this picture a young and attractive women Maria, (played by Catalina Sandino Moreno,) works in Colombia picking the thorns off of roses. The job is tedious and pays almost nothing. She ...

Pros: Serious material, good acting, good story
Cons: No character development, lack of film focus

Every movie falls into a category, and every category has certain things you expect. You expect to be frightened while watching Friday the 13th, you expect action in a Bond film. Maria llena eres de gracia (Maria Full of Grace) is essentially a drama, ...

Pros: Catalina Sandino Moreno, Patricia Rae; direction by Joshua Marston; screenplay; story/plot; interesting subject matter
Cons: no clear motivation for Maria's first decision; music

I hope and pray the things revealed in this movie do not happen on a regular basis. Director/writer Joshua Marston has crafted a sad, moving, and shocking film that has a very to-the-point impact. It takes no sides and offers no solutions. It merely ...

Pros: This movie had an interesting story line. It was entertaining, though flinch worthy in parts!
Cons: Drug trafficking is a hard subject, though this film explains why mules make that choice.

Maria Full of Grace also released under the Spanish Title María llena eres de gracia, lit. (which means Maria, you are full of grace), is an interesting portrayal of drug trafficking. It shows that things are not always what they ...

Pros: Excellent lead performance, realistic depiction of subject matter
Cons: Some in the cast are unconvincing; ending is predictable

The subject depicted in this film is hardly uncommon: an enterprising Colombian decides to work as a drug mule to escape the tedium of of work as an unskilled laborer and make a good profit. The individual in question swallows a large number of ...

Pros: directing, acting, lighting, pace, script development
Cons: my fiancee drooling over Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria)

I loved this movie.

Imagine being a 17 year old teenager and learning the fast forward and extreme version of your actions having consequences all the while being in a foreign country. This movie takes us on a disturbing journey of a drug mule from Colombia to New York.

Maria is out of work and on her way to Bogota to look into being a maid, when this seemingly better opportunity presents itself. Between the challenge, payday and lack of job choices - she was reeled in. In the beginning we learn her character is not meek nor afraid of taking risks.

The ending also showed the strength of her character holding true to the film. Smart, resilient and ready to seek out the next better opportunity in order to provide for herself and her family living in Colombia.

Highly recommended!