Gina Rodriguez is one of those actresses that I’ve wanted to see succeed for awhile now. Ever since my mother and sister introduced me to her breakout role as the title character in the CW’s “Jane the Virgin,” I’ve been curious to see if she could ever make the jump from television to film. Now with the television series closing in on its final season, it seems like Rodriguez is slowly building up her filmography with Peter Berg’s “Deepwater Horizon,” Alex Garland’s “Annihilation,” and even some family-friendly fares such as Blue Sky Studios’ “Ferdinand” and Warner Bros. Animation’s “Smallfoot.” She’s even got a new starring role as Netflix’s version of the elusive Carmen Sandiego. She’s definitely becoming more known than just for “Jane the Virgin” though it has yet to answer one of the most difficult questions when discussing actresses/actors in her current position: can she carry a film that is pushing her as the main selling point?
The film testing that question is “Miss Bala,” an American adaptation of the nearly decade-old, Mexican drama. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke (the director of films such as “Twilight” and “Thirteen”), Gina Rodriguez plays Gloria Fuentes, a Hollywood makeup artist that accidentally gets sucked into the world of the cartel when her best friend Suzu (Cristina Rodlo) is kidnapped with no trace as to who took her. Desperate to find her friend, Lino (Ismael Cruz Cordova) promises to find her friend if Gloria does a few things for his cartel. This causes the DEA to get involved, kidnapping Gloria and giving her an ultimatum: either she helps them capture Lino or she goes to prison branded as a terrorist. With nowhere to run, Gloria decides to play along with both Lino and the DEA in order to save the only family she has left.
Let me get this out of the way first: Gina Rodriguez carries the film incredibly well. It’s definitely not going to be a highlight of her film career but that has less to do with her performance and more with what she’s given. Thankfully, the little the script gives her doesn’t hinder her talent. She puts her absolute best into it even when the scene calls her to stand and stay silent. With a mostly unrecognizable cast, it impressed me to see Gina Rodriguez take her mantle as the film’s star and handle it as perfectly as she could.
I say “as she could” because the film’s script leaves much to be desired. While the film’s trailer doesn’t give everything away, the film is so quick and straightforward that it’d be difficult not to know where the film is going as soon as the film starts. I appreciated the quick pace and good editing because the characters didn’t really get me invested. The majority of characters are paper thin, leading to motivations that barely matter and performances that feel neither bad nor noteworthy. Even the only two characters with development, Rodriguez’s Gloria and Cordova’s Lino, are not enough because you already know where they’re going with both of them. There’s never a time where you’re scared for Gloria’s safety because you’re always certain she’ll make it out nor is Lino a convincing, tragic antagonist because a character literally says he can never be trusted. While I think both actors execute the development well, it’s not enough to distract me from an action thriller script that’s more tepid than thrilling.
That isn’t to say that the rest of the film is horribly put together. In fact, the editing is coherent, the action scenes are good, the forgettable score is used well throughout the film, and the cinematography has moments where it gives Tijuana some personality. While her filmography is hit and miss, Catherine Hardwicke does a solid job with “Miss Bala.” She directed an action thriller that is very watchable, coherent, and inoffensive. That begs the question though: is it worth watching then if nothing in the film is really noteworthy? It’s a difficult question to answer because it relies solely on the individual.
Overall, “Miss Bala” shows that Gina Rodriguez can definitely carry a film as the lead. The film is a great stepping stone for the star yet it’s unclear as to whether or not this’ll be enough of a push for her film career. It feels like the perfect Netflix film; a film you’ll see in your Recently Added tab months after its initial release. I neither hate it nor love it so if it ever gets a sequel, I’ll be slightly interested to see what could be next for Gloria Fuentes. In the end, I’ll be excited to see what Gina Rodriguez’s true, star-turning role is because, if “Miss Bala” is anything to go on, it’s only a matter of time for her.