COCAINE GODMOTHER
US, 2017, 90 minutes, Colour.
Catherine Zeta-Jones?, Jenny Pellicer, Aleandro Edda, Warren Christie, Juan Pablo Espinosa,José Julian, Raul Mendez.
Directed by Guillermo Navarro.
There have been many films and television series as well as documentaries on the cocaine development and export, smuggling from Colombia at the end of the 20th century, the era of Pablo Escobar.
This is the true story of Griselda Blanco, her life in Colombia, hardships as a little girl and her shooting a drug and sex client and taking the money, to her migration to the United States, with an ineffectual husband, and three sons. She decides to move out of her humdrum life, dresses up, makes contact with the dealer, masterminds ways of smuggling, drugs concealed in bras, underwear, shoes, the development of false bottom suitcases – and she prospers. Eventually, her sons also go into business with her.
She is ruthless, developing drive-by shootings, initiating her new security chief by commanding him to murder the father of her son’s girlfriend who had insulted her. While she marries the guard a Pablo Escobar orders to watch her, she is infatuated with the young dancer, Carolina, the relationship lasting many years – tempting Carolina to drugs, leading to addiction into her death.
She has another boy with her new husband, and pampers him (even in a bizarre first communion sequence where she speaks piously) but then orders his death after he speaks to the DEA officer.
Ultimately, she is interviewed by the DEA, goes to prison, eventually gets out, wealthy, returning to Colombia, but killed in a drive-by assassination.
It is unexpected see Catherine Zeta-Jones? in this role – and there was some criticism at the time that it should have been played by a Hispanic actress.
The plot is interesting – but it is in many ways a sketchy portrait of Griselda Blanco.
1. The title and expectations? Based on a true story? Colombia in the 1950s to the 1970s? The cocaine trade? The transition to the United States? The background of Pablo Escobar?
2. The Columbia settings, the city of Medellin, homes, drugs? The transition to the US, the 1970s? There American cities, Miami, Los Angeles? The musical score?
3. Griselda, the prologue, the little girl, her slatternly mother, the men, the money and the drugs, her mother slapping her? Her getting the gun, confronting the man, his taunting her to shoot, her shooting, taking the money?
4. In the United States, with the three boys, drab life, her husband and drugs, his hitting her, her ousting him? The drug dealer? Her decision to glamorise herself?
5. The screenplay and the passing of years so quickly? Her transformation? The boys and their education, the son at college, the other two not wanting to go to school, joining in the trade?
6. Her innovations, body and clothes and shoes concealment of drugs? The elderly? The false bottom suitcase? And her use of drive-by shootings?
7. The attraction to Carolina, Carolina as a dancer, succumbing to Griselda? Companion, sexual relationship? Griselda persuading her to try cocaine? Her becoming an addict? Her being upset at Griselda’s marriage, the birth of Michael, her seeming to be relegated? Her death and Griselda’s grief?
8. The audition for the security guard? His being told to kill her son’s girlfriend’s father? Offscreen? Her son’s reaction? His disillusionment? Joining the drug dealing?
9. Grizelda and her success, her drugtaking, addiction? The shift to various cities, setting up in Miami? Her clothes, her wigs and different hairstyles? The visit of Escobar, deals with him? His delegate, promising to keep an eye on Griselda? The marriage? The wedding celebration, Griselda dancing with Carolina?
10. Months passing, the birth of Michael, Griselda in the bed, photos, the absolute devotion to her son? The scene of his first Communion? Her religious talk?
11. Years passing, the son growing up, the trade increasing, her own addiction? Her ruthlessness? Her security guard and his complete loyalty?
12. The husband, his visit to Columbia, the meeting with Escobar?
13. Jimmy, the DEA, the years of pursuit? Eventually meeting Griselda? His talking with her husband? Doing the deal? The husband taking his son, in Colombia, happy together? His driving along the road, anticipating his death, getting his son to sit in the car and close his eyes and ears? His death? The boy returned to his mother?
14. The further complications, Griselda and her ruthlessness, even to killing children and those indebted to her? Her sons, the young friends, her shooting people in the toilet area?
Her decline?
15. The discussion with Jimmy, fencing and flirting, her accepting going to jail, the years passing, her release, finance? Her being killed by the drive-by killer?
16. How successful a contribution to the films and television series about cocaine dealing in Colombia and Pablo Escobar?
