I am rather surprised by how many good reviews have been posted on this film. I agree that the subject matter is very compelling and important for everyone to know about; but is this a strong film? Not in my opinion.
1. Maria's decisions She's a character who is fed up with her shitty boyfriend/boss; she is strong enough to leave them both. Yet she is not strong enough to stand up to her demanding sister every time she is pushed to hand over the little money that she makes? I found this to be incongruous in her character. One could claim that she cares about her family, but then one thinks about the scene near the end in which she recklessly steals the drugs and runs off, which basically means the murder of her mother, sister and sister's baby.
In relation to that scene, she made an incredibly stupid/irrational move. Why did she have to take the drugs when she already had the $800 given to her, and wasn't going to get killed since she had already gotten the pills out? What was she even planning to do with them? She didn't have to run away with the drugs in the first place; she could have stayed or left without the drugs, and not put herself/her family in such a hazardous position. This uncalled for reaction strongly lessened my regard for Maria's decision-making/logic in this dangerous situation.
Additionally, after she takes the drugs, she ignores her friend Blanca's advice to give back the drugs, then not long after, gives back the drugs. This scene further highlights her shifty decision- making attitude.
Maria chooses to lie. She lies a lot in this film, and we see that she makes a big mistake with lying about who she is to Lucy's sister in order to have a place to sleep. That was low of her; she already had enough money to stay someplace for the night, but instead decides to take advantage of the dead girl's sister just to save some of her earnings. The moment in which Fernando, very kindly let her see him a second time without calling the police and tells her to inform Lucy's sister of the death, goes yet again undeserved by Maria as she fails to do this task as well, suddenly too weak to hurt somebody, when she already showed that she would let her family die/friend get lost in the city at nighttime. I agree with Blanca's statement that she's extremely "mentirosa", and I find her selfish as well. The only times she shows herself to be caring are with Lucy/her own baby. It's amazing how easily she can forget about all the other people in her life.
2. Unrealistic parts of the film It is not realistic that Maria's family was not killed almost immediately after the drug dealers found out that the drugs were missing. Additionally, it is unbelievable that she and Blanca are not killed after calling the drug dealers and returning the pills, even getting their money back... Really? Plus, she is extremely reckless in the way she even fights with the drug dealer, screaming "Es SU responsibilidad!" In the world of drugs, there is no way Maria could have gotten so much leeway for the actions she took. She totally deserved getting screamed at in the face by the drug dealer. She was acting like she had world-class privileges, even demanding extra money from them. The story, and her life, should have ended there, if we were to be realistic.
The scene in which Maria was being screened in the airport was ridiculous. I was in disbelief at how horrible her acting was as a character in that situation. Who would have believed her with her large silences, and then quick, one-word, on-the-spot responses to the policewoman? No further description, laughably unbelievable shows of denial like "No traigo nada"... She made herself extremely suspicious. It was ridiculous that she got out of there.
I also found it absurd how she and her friend Blanca just split up after running away. You're in a foreign country, you don't even speak the language, and the best you can do is split up? It shows how annoying stubborn the two characters were, and how terrible their survival skills were, which makes their survival all the less believable.
The scenes in which Maria is just wandering around the city - unrealistic. You've just escaped from two drug dealers. Is this the best you can to do avoid getting caught by them?
I agree with some other reviewers that it felt like Maria's care for Lucy was forged so that she could have redemption at the end. I didn't see how she could feel so close to Lucy to have paid for her body and to have begun crying when Lucy's sister found out about her death (which was a scene that was very difficult to watch because you see how frustratingly incompetent Maria is - just crying immaturely and saying "Perdón" after all the horrible things she did. She couldn't spit out one thing that would have actually made sense to say in that moment). Additionally, does caring about one person whom she barely knew make her close enough to being a saint, as is alluded to in the title and the image of her in the poster? Not at all for me. Not to mention that the religious imagery and connection was weak in this film, which is disappointing when there is supposedly a pun about religion and drugs in the title itself.
There were some interesting aspects to the film, such as the motorcycle/bicycle white/dark comparison, which gives some cultural understanding as to why Maria got easily led into the business. But overall, I think the film could have been done much better with a different actress and a better script.
1. Maria's decisions She's a character who is fed up with her shitty boyfriend/boss; she is strong enough to leave them both. Yet she is not strong enough to stand up to her demanding sister every time she is pushed to hand over the little money that she makes? I found this to be incongruous in her character. One could claim that she cares about her family, but then one thinks about the scene near the end in which she recklessly steals the drugs and runs off, which basically means the murder of her mother, sister and sister's baby.
In relation to that scene, she made an incredibly stupid/irrational move. Why did she have to take the drugs when she already had the $800 given to her, and wasn't going to get killed since she had already gotten the pills out? What was she even planning to do with them? She didn't have to run away with the drugs in the first place; she could have stayed or left without the drugs, and not put herself/her family in such a hazardous position. This uncalled for reaction strongly lessened my regard for Maria's decision-making/logic in this dangerous situation.
Additionally, after she takes the drugs, she ignores her friend Blanca's advice to give back the drugs, then not long after, gives back the drugs. This scene further highlights her shifty decision- making attitude.
Maria chooses to lie. She lies a lot in this film, and we see that she makes a big mistake with lying about who she is to Lucy's sister in order to have a place to sleep. That was low of her; she already had enough money to stay someplace for the night, but instead decides to take advantage of the dead girl's sister just to save some of her earnings. The moment in which Fernando, very kindly let her see him a second time without calling the police and tells her to inform Lucy's sister of the death, goes yet again undeserved by Maria as she fails to do this task as well, suddenly too weak to hurt somebody, when she already showed that she would let her family die/friend get lost in the city at nighttime. I agree with Blanca's statement that she's extremely "mentirosa", and I find her selfish as well. The only times she shows herself to be caring are with Lucy/her own baby. It's amazing how easily she can forget about all the other people in her life.
2. Unrealistic parts of the film It is not realistic that Maria's family was not killed almost immediately after the drug dealers found out that the drugs were missing. Additionally, it is unbelievable that she and Blanca are not killed after calling the drug dealers and returning the pills, even getting their money back... Really? Plus, she is extremely reckless in the way she even fights with the drug dealer, screaming "Es SU responsibilidad!" In the world of drugs, there is no way Maria could have gotten so much leeway for the actions she took. She totally deserved getting screamed at in the face by the drug dealer. She was acting like she had world-class privileges, even demanding extra money from them. The story, and her life, should have ended there, if we were to be realistic.
The scene in which Maria was being screened in the airport was ridiculous. I was in disbelief at how horrible her acting was as a character in that situation. Who would have believed her with her large silences, and then quick, one-word, on-the-spot responses to the policewoman? No further description, laughably unbelievable shows of denial like "No traigo nada"... She made herself extremely suspicious. It was ridiculous that she got out of there.
I also found it absurd how she and her friend Blanca just split up after running away. You're in a foreign country, you don't even speak the language, and the best you can do is split up? It shows how annoying stubborn the two characters were, and how terrible their survival skills were, which makes their survival all the less believable.
The scenes in which Maria is just wandering around the city - unrealistic. You've just escaped from two drug dealers. Is this the best you can to do avoid getting caught by them?
I agree with some other reviewers that it felt like Maria's care for Lucy was forged so that she could have redemption at the end. I didn't see how she could feel so close to Lucy to have paid for her body and to have begun crying when Lucy's sister found out about her death (which was a scene that was very difficult to watch because you see how frustratingly incompetent Maria is - just crying immaturely and saying "Perdón" after all the horrible things she did. She couldn't spit out one thing that would have actually made sense to say in that moment). Additionally, does caring about one person whom she barely knew make her close enough to being a saint, as is alluded to in the title and the image of her in the poster? Not at all for me. Not to mention that the religious imagery and connection was weak in this film, which is disappointing when there is supposedly a pun about religion and drugs in the title itself.
There were some interesting aspects to the film, such as the motorcycle/bicycle white/dark comparison, which gives some cultural understanding as to why Maria got easily led into the business. But overall, I think the film could have been done much better with a different actress and a better script.