Maria Full of Smack (just couldn't resist)

What are your thoughts on "Maria Full of Grace/María llena eres de gracia", especially regarding the religious symbolism in the film. Almost every scene in the movie has a religious icon in the background and it's no coincidence the protagonist's name is Maria (Mary) and she's with child. Also, does this guy look familiar?

My feelings towards the film, Maria Full of Grace, are lukewarm to borderline detest. The film had a slow start. Granted, the film is not a shoot'em up flick, but the first part of the movie was extremely boring. Maybe those actors just sucked, but all I wanted to do was yarn continuously and twiddle my thumbs. For a movie about a depressing issue, I wasn't all that depressed or sad about the characters in the film. I was like "meh" towards most of them except the sister, Carla. She did a terrific job especially when learning of Lucy's death. The actress who played Maria was just flat out boring. Her acting did not invoke any kind of positive emotion in me.

Once the film moved into the drug muling phase, it became somewhat interesting. The scenes of Maria swallowing the smack filled condoms were hard to stomach. I get nervous swallowing vitamins. It was quite amazing how the actress simulated swallowing those pellets.

I just find it hard to like this movie. It seems unrealistic. Perhaps its my own ignorance at play, but I always drug dealers treated females drug mules as property. Viewing them as vessels of desperation and easily exploitable. In the film, Javier (the old boss drug dealer I think) treated her like a valued employee. Franklin, his recruiter or scout, enticed her easily like a CIA case officer turning an asset. I thought those narco dudes were chauvinist and brash.

The largest stemming pile of bullshit in the movie was when Maria and Blanca returned the stolen drugs to the two low level dealers in New Jersey. There is no way those girls would've gotten away unscathed and paid in real life.

As for the religious symbolism, I did not notice any until we briefly discussed it class. I do not remember the scene of the guy making the sign of the cross. I even missed the most obvious of the main character's biblical name and the movie’s cover art depicting Maria being given a pellet as if she was being given communion. Also, her pregnancy saved her from jail. The pellets did not burst as well, killing her and the fetus, so that may also serve as a allegory for Jesus saves or something. Maria also worked with flowers as the Virgin Mary is associated with gardens. My aunt has mid size statue of the virgin Mary in her garden back in New Orleans.

Orlando Tobon's community activism for exploited drug mules is great. He is a courageous man for assisting these people without fear of reprisals from the cartels. I would fear being shot up by some cartel hit squad for influencing their assets or being played by the Feds for intel on the cartels from the mules.