Miss Bala is a 2019 American movie directed by Catherine Hardwicke. It is a Foreign Remake of a 2011 Mexican film of the same name.
A young make-up artist (Gina Rodriguez) looks for her kidnapped friend (Cristina Rodlo) after she is kidnapped from a beauty pageant by Los Estrellas, a Mexican drug cartel.
The film also stars Ismael Cruz Córdova, Anthony Mackie, and Matt Lauria.
It was released on February 1, 2019.
Tropes for the film:
- And Starring: How Anthony Mackie is credited yet only appears in two scenes.
- Always Save the Girl: The first thing Gloria always demands when making a negotiation is that her best friend is rescued and left alone.
- An Offer You Can't Refuse: Gloria is forced into working with the drug cartel in order to avoid being murdered, not to mention the DEA, and whatever resources to find and save her best friend.
- Bait-and-Switch: Lino wakes up Gloria as if he's about to kill her but it turns out he is about to teach her how to use a gun.
- Chekhov's Gun: The Los Estrellas gang tattoo Isabella shows Gloria that the cartel "owns" her. Gloria later finds Suzu marked with the same tattoo, meaning Lino sold Suzu into prostitution and knew where she was the whole time Gloria was looking for her.
- The Miss Baja California beauty pageant.
- Chekhov's Gunman: Jimmy, who turns out to be a CIA agent who Gloria asks to clear her of all charges the DEA tried to use against her.
- Damsel in Distress: Suzu is this for Gloria, who's sole mission is to rescue her.
- The Determinator: The sole reason that drives Gloria to navigate her way through an illegal and highly dangerous drug cartel and gang life is the determination to rescue her best friend, who's been sold into sex slavery.
- Dirty Cop: Gloria gets into a car with one, that lets her get kidnapped by Lino's gang.
- The Dreaded: Lino is this as the head of the drug cartel.
- Fanservice: Gloria, played by the beautiful Gina Rodriguez, is forced to strip and show off her beauty several times in the movie. Could be seen as Fan Disservice since she's being forced to do it and is clearly uncomfortable.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: Gloria starts off as an innocent woman who's won beauty pageants and just living her life like an ordinary woman. Over the course of the movie, she gradually becomes a tough and quick-thinking Action Survivor who helps bring down a drug cartel by using her wits to gain the trust of Lino, the gang leader, before shooting him dead - while in a massive shoot-out with another gang. She even impresses Jimmy an undercover CIA agent to where he wants to recruit her officially into CIA operations.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: Gloria and Suzu are this, with Gloria even being the godmother of Suzu's little brother.
- Human Traffickers: Gloria's friend, Suzu, is abducted by the Drug Cartel and is forced to be a drug mule for them.
- Ironic Echo: Lino teaches Gloria to shoot with "both eyes open." She repeats this to Lino while aiming a rifle at him before killing him.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Several times for Gloria but a particular moment is when she takes out the tracking chip installed in her phone and throws it into a random phone to save herself from getting caught. She's absolutely horrified when later finding out the phone belonged to Isabella (an innocent woman who was kidnapped like Gloria herself) and the poor woman is shot dead when the gang concludes she's a mole for the DEA.
- The Remake: Of the 2011 Mexican film of the same name.
- Sex Slave: When trying to find out what happened to Suzu, Gloria finds out she was sold to a brothel and forced into prostitution. The latter half has her trying to find a way to save her.
- Stockholm Syndrome: Averted. Gloria and Lino do spend a considerable amount of time with each other but they never hook up especially after finding out Lino sold Suzu into prostitution.
- Took a Level in Badass: Gloria goes from a kidnapped Damsel in Distress hostage to being a solid Action Girl who learns how to use a gun and readily defend herself from gang members.
- Undercover Cop Reveal: Jimmy, a supposed gangster, is revealed to be a CIA agent.
- You Have to Believe Me!: Gloria says this to the DEA agent about her abduction and her involvement with the drug cartel was forced.
