MARIA FULL OF GRACE

Director: Joshua Marston (no major film work)
Starring: Catalina Moreno, Patricia Rae, Guilied Lopez, more

This was a straightforward yet engrossing account of the life of a Columbian drug mule, both brutal and touching. Pregnant, with little money and a bleak future, Maria swallows 62 pellets of cocaine and flies to New York in the hopes of, well, anything different than what she has. This film very clearly shows the reality of the situation. These mules are not flashy drug dealers. They are not bad people. They are just young girls and boys in a bad place, desperate for something - anything. A compelling little film that should be seen.

Standouts: A small, simple and engrossing story well done.
Blowouts: Ocassional scenes only barely add to the total.

Grade: A-