Hit (but depressing)- Catalina Sandino Moreno, Yenny Paola Vega

Maria has found herself down on her luck. Not only does she live a cramped lifestyle with three generations in the same house, she is also expecting a child. Maria is only 17 and feels her child should be brought up in the United States. Since Maria has little to no money, she is offered a chance to receive free air travel to the United States, $800 in cash, and extra money once she arrives in the United States. The only catch is, she must be a drug mule for Columbian drug runners. Now Maria must survive the situation she has put herself in, and all the while she finds herself concerned for her unborn child.

A sad story that is beautifully portrayed. The director allows his audience to see the world through Maria’s eyes, and takes us on an interesting journey that begins with a small conflict, but blossoms to a large problem. I felt the same way about this movie as I did about the movie Traffic. At the end of the movie I felt I had learned a little bit more about the drug world. Bottom Line: Informative speech type style, but not a movie if you are looking for entertainment.

Best Scene: Final Scene with Maria.

Rated R for drug content and language.
Drama
Running Time: 1 hour 41 minutes

Photo © 2004 Christobal Corral Vega HBO Films/Fine Line Features. All Rights Reserved.