A well-told story that is non-judgemental and engaging (very mild suggestive spoiler)

bob the moo

Throwing in her job de-thorning roses in a plantation in Columbia, Maria is under pressure to support her family and starts looking for work. Her boyfriend is boring, unsupported and only adds to her feeling that her lot in life is not a great one. Meeting a new guy at a dance offers some hope in the shadow of her discovering she is pregnant – not only is he nice to her and owes his own vehicle but he also knows someone who can get her work. Unfortunately that work is as a drugs mule into New York, not something she wants to do but, seeing as it is easy money, she decides to do it.

Each year there are Oscar nominations that will never win but, while many just call them token nods, I see them as being chances to offer exposure to a wider audience for less stellar films. This year for me it was both Hotel Rwanda and this film that benefited from this effect, with Maria most certainly being helped in the UK cinemas – I wonder would it have got as wide a release without the help of the publicity? That said though, on the second day of the film's release, I was watching it in a cinema containing 3 other people, so maybe it wasn't that helpful! Regardless of the populace's taste for the subject matter, the film is worth seeing as it is an engaging story that is simple but well told. We follow Maria with a candid look at her life and then her experience – it doesn't have much shouting or running around, no does it have great highs and lows within the narrative, but it is very evenly told and kept me constantly interesting. This continues right to an ending that is neither happy nor sad – it just ends with more to tell, but our time has ended. The good delivery also means that the film never judges anyone involved and again just keeps a nicely distant balance; there is no preaching or ranting here. This is good because we instead focus on the people and the situation rather than the director/writer's opinion/message – that he has one is undeniable but he knows the material can speak for itself without him pushing it.

The Oscars have already said it but I'll repeat it here, Moreno is impressive and manages to bring so much to her character with just expressions and body language. Where some films will have characters just say what they feel, we can easily see that Maria is worn down, a little trapped and wondering if this is all she will ever have. It is an impressive performance and it makes the film as engaging as it was. Support is good across the cast and nobody really hits a bad note, but the film is hers and it is no wonder that she came to the Academy's attention as a result.

Overall this is not the most enjoyable film you'll ever see but it is not as gritty or as depressing as the subject matter would suggest. The direction and delivery is balanced and the story is very well told so that it is never boring but never spills over into a "look how terrible this is" rant and, by avoiding this, it does justice to a complex problem and respected my intelligence as its audience. The script is simple but effective and Moreno has worked wonders even in scenes where she doesn't have many lines. An outsider at the 2005 Oscars she may have been but the film is worthy of attention and hopefully now it has got yours.

score /10

bob the moo 30 March 2005

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1050473/