DVD - Maria Full of Grace

The image on this movie poster disturbs me for some reason. Probably my gag reflex.

7 out of 10

A good movie, and interesting subject matter. I was struck by the ending, but realized that the "situation" (the economic situation, the state of what it means to be a woman, is what I mean by that) in Columbia, the world situation, was to blame for Maria putting in herself in this predicament of illegality that it seems so many other innocents become entangled in.

I mean, consider this. And, this is part of what made the movie seem so real....

At one point, Maria is on the plane flying into the U.S. (United Stupids) and feels like she has to go to the bathroom REALLY BAD. What to do?? Hold it? Burst? Have diarrhea in your seat? No good. In the bathroom, you see her grab between her legs because one of those pellets is about to DROP IN THE TOILET! She's already been threatened that if any of them are missing, her family will pay for it (and not with money, which they have none of anyway). Of course, at this point, she's already too far in it - keeping the secret from her family, saying she's away in another city working as a secretary, threatened by the drug dude in Columbia, who it seems if you follow the logic down the road can keep her mule-ing for the rest of her youth, or until she dies or gets arrested. So, do you let a pellet drop in the communal plane toilet? NO. You catch the shitty pellets in your hand! Hopefully your stomach has stopped convulsing for just a few minutes so that you can stand up straight again. What a relief. Now, what to do with the pellets in your hand? Put them in your bag? In your bra? Never make it through customs, else you wouldn't have had to swallow the golf ball size things in the first place. What to do? What to do......?

Of course. YOU PUT THE SHITTY THINGS BACK IN YOUR MOUTH AND SWALLOW THEM AGAIN! Let me say that again. You SWALLOW the pellets that are now contaminated by your own repulsive feces, so that you can hopefully get out of this alive, and possibly return to your family a free woman, instead of getting arrested like the trashed-out-looking chick did. Ah, God!

What hits me most upside the head is this: at least some of the cocaine I've done in my life has come out of the ass of a young girl from Columbia. What's more, at least some of those girls are caught and/or have died either of an accidental overdose or by other foul play.

I am quite certain that I can never, ever, do cocaine again for the rest of my life.

On another note, I can see why Catalina Moreno was nominated for an Oscar. The look of guilt and hesitancy she consistenly had on her face - I'm almost positive it's impossible to act that.

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(Update: ok, I just read that the pellets contain heroine. Thank God I can still do cocaine. (not)).