MISS BALA | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"MISS BALA"
(2019) (Gina Rodriguez, Ismael Cruz Cordova) (PG-13)

QUICK TAKE:: Dramatic Thriller: An American make-up artist ends up working for both the DEA and a Mexican drug lord when visiting her beauty pageant contestant friend in Tijuana.

PLOT:

Gloria Meyer (GINA RODRIGUEZ) is a makeup artist who travels from Los Angeles to Tijuana to support her friend, Suzu Ramos (CRISTINA RODLO), who's a contestant in the upcoming Miss Baja California pageant. But while visiting a night club there, the two are shocked when drug cartel boss Lino Esparza (ISMAEL CRUZ CORDOVA) and his goons, including his right-hand man, Poyo (RICARDO ABARCA), raid the place and attempt to assassinate the chief of police. They're unsuccessful, but Suzu ends up missing in the confusion of the gun battle and when Gloria tells a police officer that she saw who was responsible, he delivers her to Lino's goons.

Threatened with violence that will be aimed toward her, Suzu and that woman's younger brother if she doesn't comply, Gloria agrees to a number of demands imposed by Lino. That includes driving a car that will be used, unbeknownst to her, as a bomb to destroy a DEA safe house. When she manages to escape from Poyo, she ends up being captured by the DEA and is given an ultimatum by the agency's local team leader, Brian Reich (MATT LAURIA). And that is to plant a tracking device in Lino's phone or face decades of prison time for being involved in the bombing.

She reluctantly agrees, returns to Lino and carries out more assignments, such as smuggling cash and drugs across the border into San Diego for a man there, Jimmy (ANTHONY MACKIE), and returning with a small arsenal of weapons. As she continues balancing these two new sides of her life, Gloria begins wondering who actually has her best interests in mind, all while hoping to find her friend.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: It's possible some older teens might show some interest, especially if they're fans of anyone in the cast.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13: For sequences of gun violence, sexual and drug content, thematic material, and language.

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