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Miss Bala is a 2019 Mexican-American action thriller film directed by Catherine Hardwicke, and starring Gina Rodriguez as Gloria Fuentes, a young woman who gets caught up in a violent drug war between the DEA and a powerful Mexican cartel after being coerced into becoming a mole for one of the factions. The movie is a remake of the 2011 Mexican film of the same name, but with a new perspective and storyline.

At the start of the movie, Gloria is shown as a makeup artist who crosses the border from the United States to Mexico to participate in a beauty pageant. Her friend, Suzu (played by Vivian Chan), helps her prepare for the contest, but things go awry when they attend a nightclub party that is raided by the cartel. Gloria gets separated from Suzu and is taken captive by Lino Esparza (played by Ismael Cruz Córdova), a charismatic and ruthless leader of the Tijuana cartel.

Lino tries to use Gloria as a pawn in his ongoing conflict with the DEA, forcing her to carry out errands and deliver messages to the authorities on his behalf. Gloria is often conflicted by the morality of her actions, but as she becomes more embroiled in the politics of the cartel, she finds herself losing control of her situation. The stakes are raised when her family becomes a target of the cartel, leaving Gloria with few options to escape their grip.

The tension between Gloria and Lino is also fuelled by their romantic connection, which is complicated by his violent tendencies and disregard for human life. At the same time, Gloria begins to form an alliance with Jimmy (played by Thomas Dekker), a DEA agent who is working undercover to bring down the cartel. Jimmy's motivations for helping Gloria are not entirely clear, but the two must work together to prevent the situation from escalating further.

The action in the movie is intense and fast-paced, with several chase scenes and shootouts between the cartel members and the DEA. The movie also showcases the harsh realities of life in Mexico, with depictions of poverty, corruption, and violence as pervasive elements of the society. This bleak depiction of the country serves as an effective backdrop to Gloria's story and highlights the struggle she faces to assert her agency in a world controlled by powerful men.

Gina Rodriguez delivers a strong performance as Gloria, imbuing the character with vulnerability, strength, and determination. Her transformation from a makeup artist to a key player in the drug war is compelling, and Rodriguez brings nuance to her portrayal of the conflicted and resilient protagonist. Thomas Dekker is similarly impressive as Jimmy, capturing the anguished psyche of a man with divided loyalties.

Vivian Chan, who plays Suzu, serves as a key supporting character to Gloria, providing emotional support and levity to an otherwise tense and serious narrative. Chan's portrayal of Suzu is charming, and she brings a sense of hopefulness to the movie, contrasting the despair and violence that are prevalent throughout.

In summary, Miss Bala is a powerful drama that depicts the dangers of the Mexican drug war with stark clarity. Its themes of survival, corruption, and morality are explored through a strong female lead and an engaging cast of characters. The movie's action sequences add to the suspenseful tone of the story, while its thoughtful portrayal of the country and its people gives the movie a sense of depth and authenticity.

Miss Bala is a 2019 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 44 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.8 and a MetaScore of 41.