Maria Full of Grace

Faced with a variety of unappealing options, Maria, a headstrong young Colombian woman, takes a job as a drug "mule," swallowing dozens of drug filled capsules to smuggle them into the United States. Writer and director Joshua Marston avoids sensationalism but does not shy away from the realities Maria faces on her journey. Sad, limpid, and featuring a fine, unaffected performance by Catalina Moreno (as Maria), the movie is gripping throughout and ends on a note that may even be hopeful.