87
Metascore
39 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100ReelViewsJames BerardinelliReelViewsJames BerardinelliDisturbing. It is impossible to sit through Maria Full of Grace and not be affected by the circumstances of the characters. For that, the credit must go to Marston and his actors.
- 100Entertainment WeeklyLisa SchwarzbaumEntertainment WeeklyLisa SchwarzbaumUnfolds with a simplicity that's as breathtaking as its inevitability is harrowing.
- 100Christian Science MonitorDavid SterrittChristian Science MonitorDavid SterrittTimely, pointed messages about oppression and opportunity come poignantly through in strongly dramatic terms.
- 90L.A. WeeklyElla TaylorL.A. WeeklyElla TaylorThe movie is thrillingly subjective, teeming with the fullness of everyday proletarian life that one finds in the work of the directors who most influenced Marston in the making of this movie: Hector Babenco and the Brazilian realists, Ken Loach and Mike Leigh.
- 88USA TodayClaudia PuigUSA TodayClaudia PuigGracefully acted, and the story packs a powerful punch straight to the gut.
- 80Film ThreatFilm ThreatIsn’t really about drugs. It’s about what motivates people to make hard choices. However, deciding whether or not to view this unique glimpse into a seldom seen world should be easy. It’s a must-see.
- 80Village VoiceMark HolcombVillage VoiceMark HolcombIt's a remarkably assured and humane feature debut.
- 70The Hollywood ReporterThe Hollywood ReporterUltimately, the ending is a bit of a cop-out, but that's a small criticism for a film with such decent perspectives.
- 70The A.V. ClubNathan RabinThe A.V. ClubNathan RabinGrim but never gratuitous.
- 70VarietyDavid RooneyVarietyDavid RooneyWriter-director Joshua Marston's strikingly confident debut maintains an unblinking focus and sustains an almost unbearable level of tension.