Miss Bala

Veteran director Gerardo Naranjo captures the Mexican drug war not from the point of view of criminals or cops (categorised here in the same group of vermin), but through the eyes of a disinterested and uninvolved person viewing it from the outside. However, the term “point of view” should be used more cautiously here, as the chosen form of filming could be called “dependent objectivity”. The camera is bound to the protagonist, but it avoids adopting her perspective in the traditional form of shot/counter-shot and cuts depending on the point of view. Perhaps only once in the whole film, it breaks away from the protagonist and shows us what we would like to see (a close-up of a newspaper headline). Documenting how quickly one can grow up in present-day Mexico (at the cost of losing one’s illusions, dignity and future prospects) is thus not subordinated either to Laura’s point of view or to the demands of the viewer expecting the provision of missing information according to standard narrative conventions. The shots lasting several minutes go against not only expectations, but also against the essence of beauty pageants like Miss Baja (the “Bala” in the “mangled” title means "bullet") – they are definitely not pretty and superficial beauty is not their goal. Due to their length, with no possibility of escape/avoidance, these shots make the viewer a victim like Laura. At the same time, they create the impression of continuity of events. One is followed by the next almost in real time and everything happens extremely quickly, so no time remains for more sophisticated action. This partly explains Laura’s self-destructive passivity, or rather the thoughtlessness of her initial efforts to change her lot in life, which precede her complete submission. She shows a certain resistance only shortly before the end, when she briefly gives vent to her pent-up desperation. Whether this indicates a change in her nature or a last gasp before the perceived end, we will never know. The prolongation of the protagonist’s suffering is made possible by a conspicuously large number of coincidences. As if in a spiral, Laura repeatedly falls back into the role of a powerless victim whom no one can help. Those who could help her are either corrupt or dead. This hopelessness keeps the narrative in constant motion and clearly corresponds to the current mood – at the same time, it detracts from the film’s credibility and even though actual events served as inspiration, it’s impossible to resist the feeling that it is contrived for effect. In spite of that, however, I want to see Miss Bala again and savour how much the captivating camerawork tells us, or rather conceals from us. 80% (05/13/2012)

For a long time now, I have not seen a heroine so victimized, a film so confused (sometimes the torturous absence of a logical combination of events and actions of the characters) and the direction so well thought out. Naranjo has the problem that he is directing a complete mess of nonsense, but he directs it with admirable bravura and insight... unfortunately, the emptiness of the characters, space and the story cannot be covered only by craftsmanship brilliance, so Miss Bala is a painfully wasted attempt at creating an urgent social thriller in which the good intention disappeared in excess of the effort for "arthouse" economy and roughness. Miss Hala Bala. (03/26/2012)

Okay, on the one hand, I'd like to debate whether the film is too naive, and whether the main character's actions had sufficient justification at all. On the other hand, I have to say that I really enjoyed the lead actress, and was totally with her in the scene where she drives across the border. Otherwise, I had no major problem understanding the plot point that some here are describing, everything seemed perfectly clear to me. And of course, the clincher for me is that I really enjoyed the film a lot and I gobbled it up in one go. 3.5 stars. (05/04/2019)