Miss Bala (2019)

Belle of the Bala

I became a huge fan of Gina Rodriguez while watching The CW's "Jane the Virgin", in which she is the eponymous character. I am sure many of you reading this, who are aware of her, are the same. Unless you jumped on board with her stunning performance in last year "Annihilation". As Jane, she is quirky, charismatic, and a great anchor to a wonderful ensemble. Seeing her translate that charm to Hollywood leading status is something I have been anxious to see, especially if she is going to play against the innocence of her television persona, and become a certified badass in the action genre. Too bad this movie isn't going to do that.

"Miss Bala" is a remake of the 2011 Spanish Language Film of the same name. This one stars Rodriguez as Gloria, a make up artist visiting a friend in Tijuana who needs help to win a beauty pageant. They go out on the town for the night, trying to rub elbows with those in charge of the pageant. The two end up at a local hot spot that is attacked by a drug gang trying to target a corrupt Mexican official. Gloria's friend goes missing, and her to find her sweeps her up in a war between the gang and the DEA.

Watching this movie try to make every twist and turn, as Gloria attempts to adapt to her situation and find her missing friend, is, honestly, just a chore to sit through. The character motivations often make very little sense, and the timeline is so condensed, that it is hard to understand why, for example, the gang leader is so trusting of woman he just met, and has actively run from him multiple times. Another plot thread is mostly abandoned in the middle of the film, and picked up in the closing moments to dull effect.

There isn't any sense of urgency to the plot, and the stakes never feel like they truly matter. It is a slog of movie that is almost completely lifeless through it s nearly 2 hour run time. The poor pacing is a real shame, because cinematographer Patrick Murguia seems to be working over time trying to bring Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer's script to life, but the beautiful imagery (and gorgeous set design) is undercut by the lack of tension, and a slew of banal performances.

Rodriguez, on the other hand, seems to be in a completely different than everyone else. She is trying to give as much weight to the material as possible. She gives a nuanced performance as Gloria, turning her from a frightened victim to a stone cold killer with relative ease. I wish she could have done more to raise this film above Catherine Hardwicke's usual lackluster directing style, but it turns into a lot of wasted effort. I just hope Rodriguez isn't blamed for what is sure to be a box office dud, because she is really the brightest light in this film. She should be highly praised for this film, at least as much as Rami Malek was for trying to save the dismal "Bohemian Rhapsody".

All in all, "Miss Bala" is droll and uninspired. A movie not worth the hour and 45 minutes it takes to drudge through. Sorry, Ms. Rodriguez, this was just a rough start. You deserved so much better.

Grade: D

Starring: Gina Rodriguez, Anthony Mackie, Ismael Cruz Cordova
Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Writer(s): Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer
Running Time: 104min
Rating: Rated PG-13 for sequences of gun violence, sexual and drug content, thematic material, and language