Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Violent, gritty drug queen biopic has sex, cursing, smoking.
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Griselda
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
What's the Story?
Based on a true story, GRISELDA is a biographical miniseries about the notorious Colombian drug boss Griselda Blanco. Sofía Vergara plays Griselda, who in 1978 left Colombia for Miami with her three sons after a bloody dispute with her husband Alberto Bravo (Alberto Ammann). She moves in with friend Carmen (Vanessa Ferlito) and claims to, like Carmen, want to start a new life outside of the drug trade. But Griselda, who successfully smuggled drugs with Alberto from Medellín until recently, managed to enter the country with a kilo of cocaine to sell to help get her and her children on their feet. Soon Griselda goes from trying to sell her single brick with the help of Chucha (Fredy Yate), a local Colombian dishwasher she hires as her bodyguard, to shrewdly and mercilessly pushing her way into Miami's tightly controlled circle of cartels dominated by powerful men. Meanwhile, Officer June Hawkins (Juliana Aidén Martinez) of the Miami P.D. is attempting to establish herself by working on narcotics cases, but is struggling to be taken seriously by her peers in a male-dominated field.
Is It Any Good?
The gritty "narconovela" offers a well-written, well-performed interpretation of the real Griselda Blanco's road to dominance in the international drug trade. While Sofía Vergara's portrayal of the drug queenpin Griselda invites viewers to empathize with the intelligent, innovative, but overall uneducated mother of three, it doesn't glorify her actions or attempt to elicit sympathy for her. Instead, it juxtaposes her love for her children with her ability to be cruel and cold-blooded in business.
Meanwhile, the series parallels the sexism Griselda faces while building her empire with June Hawkins' (Juliana Aidén Martinez) experiences navigating the male-dominated police force. The result is a series that reveals a strong and unrelenting woman who was raised in a world of crime, and whose moral compass is guided by the need for power and survival within the broader criminal universe. Granted, there's nothing particularly surprising here -- it features all the expected violence, sex, and other mature content associated with these types of stories.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about media stereotypes associated wih Latin America and the drug trade. Does Griselda reinforce these generalizations? Why or why not?
Discuss the role of women in the Latin American drug trade. Had you heard of Griselda Blanco or other female drug cartel leaders? How does her being a woman change your perception of her role?
TV Details
- Premiere date: January 25, 2024
- Cast: Sofia Vergara , Alberto Guerra , Juliana Aidén Martinez
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Drama
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Award: Emmy - Emmy Award Nominee
- Last updated: September 16, 2024
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