Gina Rodriguez is Miss Bala as she discovers a new passion that she didn’t even realize she had inside of her. When her friend goes missing after a shooting in a night club in Tijuana, Mexico, it’s up to Gloria to save her even if it means going undercover bring some of the toughest bad guys in Mexico to justice. Her cover up, as a participant in a Miss Baja California beauty pageant, gives her the new found drive to further pursue a life of espionage.
Based on the original Spanish language film, which was nominated for several awards including Mexico’s pick for Foreign Language film at the 84th academy awards, the film this time is taken to a larger audience being released wide spread in the mainstream media. Rodriguez, known for her five year run in the CW show, Jane the Virgin, now she portrays an American born Latina visiting her friend who is the only family she has known. Ultimately one can definitely see why the casting director chose Rodriguez as she brings the same passion for wanting to protect her friend even while she seems limited in her Spanish language skills. The audience sees a growth in Rodriguez as she discovers her true calling through a friend who ultimately helps her discover her potential, though in a captive way.
The film also stars, Ismael Cruz Cordova, who previously played in Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk as well as currently nominated, Mary Queen of Scots. His role also had an interesting development as Cordova as Lino goes from a rough bad boy drug trafficker who only seeks one thing from Gloria to that of a slight love affair, though nothing goes past the occasional glances. That aside he does show some sort of protective nature when he surprises her with a brush up course on firing one of the weapons after the invasion.
As a remake of the Spanish Language film by the same name, this version does contain a fair amount of Spanish as well as English dialect, but not a lot to take away from the story for the English audience now enjoying. It does however add to the culture as the screenwriter does take careful attention to insure that the Spanish that is spoken, not only has subtitles but its easy to follow especially for ones who don’t want to read. Honestly, even if subtitles weren’t an option, I do believe one would enjoy it for its action and suspense.
At an hour 45 minutes run time, Miss Bala is a film that will have one sitting on the edge of their seats. It’s a new type of spy espionage different from any other that one has seen which will entice anyone to the theater. It will have one thinking what is Gloria going to do next and Gina Rodriguez had the knack for keeping people on suspense from the first awkward moment on.
The film came out in theaters February 1st and is currently playing in a theater near you. See it before it speeds away.