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Movie Review
Maria Full of Grace
By Lee Tistaert Published September 7, 2004
US Release: July 16, 2004
Directed by: Joshua Marston
Starring: Catalina Moreno , Guilied Lopez
R
Running Time: 101 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $6,517,000
Directed by: Joshua Marston
Starring: Catalina Moreno , Guilied Lopez
R
Running Time: 101 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $6,517,000
B
17 of 120
One of the more intelligent films I?ve seen in this genre.
It?s when a film like Maria Full of Grace comes along that you realize how scarce effective genre pieces are in an average year. Stories involving characters (whether fictional or real-life people) struggling to survive or ?make it? in their world come up once and a while, but very rarely do these films center around anyone other than white people.
In this case, this story is about a Colombian teenager who is faced with a problem of supporting her family through a poor economic phase in their life. The film takes on a very intimate view of its characters and the culture that surrounds them, as if we are watching reality unfold before our eyes, in a similar style as the intelligent, solidly done Raising Victor Vargas (B).
Maria (Catalina Moreno), the main character, works in a factory where she endlessly strips thorns from flowers all day long, and then is expected to hand over her paychecks to her mother. This job bears no rewards for Maria, and as a result, she contemplates leaving it behind and looking elsewhere for a financial solution. Maria soon discovers the possibility of smuggling drugs into the United States for a hefty payload, which appears to be an easy way to pay the debt that her family is struggling to obtain, despite the dangerous conditions involved.
Maria Full of Grace wouldn?t work without the right storytelling approach, and this film nails it right on; what starts off as a pretty good movie evolves into a pretty absorbing one that puts you right there with the main character. Unlike a few films I?ve seen recently (Criminal, and Stander), our main character is very likable and Catalina Moreno conveys her persona just within her expressions; her acting is one of the big highlights, as she carries the film all the way through.
The acting across the board is also very focused, and the intense direction the film lives by, making it seem as if we?re ease dropping on these people?s lives, makes for quite a trip. The film is not a thriller, but is gripping, as we see Maria?s struggle to acquire the money up close and personal as if we're experiencing the effort firsthand. One forewarning is that this feature is fairly dark and rather depressing, as it probably shouldn?t be a film you want to see for an all-out inspiring night out at the movies. The film doesn?t have much of a sense of humor, as it is very serious and rarely eases up on the drama. There is a sense of hope depicted in the story, but it doesn?t loosen up as much as some inspirational films do.
Maria Full of Grace is one of the more intelligent films I?ve seen in this genre. What often times aggravates me with these attempted feel-good stories is the usage of classic clich?s. With most of these movies, you know what the ending has to include to fulfill viewer expectations, leaving very little suspense throughout. This film doesn?t live by a specific formula, as it lives by its own unique structure, and you?re not sure what exactly is to come. Maria Full of Grace isn?t for everyone given its darker tone, but it?s a very fine and involving edition to the genre.
In this case, this story is about a Colombian teenager who is faced with a problem of supporting her family through a poor economic phase in their life. The film takes on a very intimate view of its characters and the culture that surrounds them, as if we are watching reality unfold before our eyes, in a similar style as the intelligent, solidly done Raising Victor Vargas (B).
Maria (Catalina Moreno), the main character, works in a factory where she endlessly strips thorns from flowers all day long, and then is expected to hand over her paychecks to her mother. This job bears no rewards for Maria, and as a result, she contemplates leaving it behind and looking elsewhere for a financial solution. Maria soon discovers the possibility of smuggling drugs into the United States for a hefty payload, which appears to be an easy way to pay the debt that her family is struggling to obtain, despite the dangerous conditions involved.
Maria Full of Grace wouldn?t work without the right storytelling approach, and this film nails it right on; what starts off as a pretty good movie evolves into a pretty absorbing one that puts you right there with the main character. Unlike a few films I?ve seen recently (Criminal, and Stander), our main character is very likable and Catalina Moreno conveys her persona just within her expressions; her acting is one of the big highlights, as she carries the film all the way through.
The acting across the board is also very focused, and the intense direction the film lives by, making it seem as if we?re ease dropping on these people?s lives, makes for quite a trip. The film is not a thriller, but is gripping, as we see Maria?s struggle to acquire the money up close and personal as if we're experiencing the effort firsthand. One forewarning is that this feature is fairly dark and rather depressing, as it probably shouldn?t be a film you want to see for an all-out inspiring night out at the movies. The film doesn?t have much of a sense of humor, as it is very serious and rarely eases up on the drama. There is a sense of hope depicted in the story, but it doesn?t loosen up as much as some inspirational films do.
Maria Full of Grace is one of the more intelligent films I?ve seen in this genre. What often times aggravates me with these attempted feel-good stories is the usage of classic clich?s. With most of these movies, you know what the ending has to include to fulfill viewer expectations, leaving very little suspense throughout. This film doesn?t live by a specific formula, as it lives by its own unique structure, and you?re not sure what exactly is to come. Maria Full of Grace isn?t for everyone given its darker tone, but it?s a very fine and involving edition to the genre.
Lee's Grade: B
Ranked #17 of 120 between Hotel Rwanda (#16) and Starsky & Hutch (#18) for 2004 movies.
Ranked #17 of 120 between Hotel Rwanda (#16) and Starsky & Hutch (#18) for 2004 movies.
Lee's Overall Grading: 3025 graded movies
| A | 0.4% | |
| B | 30.0% | |
| C | 61.7% | |
| D | 8.0% | |
| F | 0.0% |
