Marίa, llena eres de gracia

English title: Maria Full of Grace

Genre: suspense

With: Catalina Sandino Moreno (Marίa Álvarez), Wilson Guerrero (Juan, her boyfriend), Jhon Álex Toro (Franklin), Yenny Paola Vega (Blanca), Jaime Osorio Gómez (Javier), Guilied López (Lucy Diaz), Patricia Rae (Carla), Orlando Tobón (Don Fernando)

Director: Joshua Marston

Screenplay: Joshua Marston

Release: 2004

Studio: HBO Films, Fine Line Features, Journeyman Pictures et al.

Rating: R

MBiS score: 8.3/10

When It Just Has to Get There

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Story-line: in a small Colombian town, Marίa suffers a debilitating job, a family that relies too heavily on her and a boyfriend she doesn’t really like. Meeting Franklin opens up a whole new world for the young lady… but a world more hazardous than she could imagine.  

Pluses: convincing acting by Catalina Sandino Moreno and a fine group of actors, precise cinematography and editing, Joshua Marston’s no-frills direction and his tough, realistic screenplay à la DIRTY PRETTY THINGS.  

Minuses: be warned that the third act is particularly potent. 

Comments: this small-scale, highly efficient thriller rivals much bigger productions and presents material that is fresh and very shocking. No wonder MARIA FULL OF GRACE has been heralded by reviewers everywhere.

MBiS

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