Griselda
by Maureen McCabe –
Griselda, from the talented team behind Narcos, producer Eric Newman, director Andres Baiz, and writer Doug Miro, along with showrunner Ingrid Escajeda, is a fast-paced, compelling six- episode series currently showing on Netflix, which tells the story of real-life notorious cocaine cartel leader Griselda Blanco. The series opens with a quote from Pablo Escobar, “The only man I was ever afraid of was a woman named Griselda Blanco” and then proceeds over the next six episodes to show why this notorious drug kingpin’s fear was justified. Tracing Griselda’s journey from an abused woman fleeing Columbia with her three young sons while gunshot to her pinnacle as the ruling queen of the Miami drug trade, viewers can’t help but by consumed by this rise-to-riches story, even if it’s accomplished by a woman of unusual savageness.
Sofia Vergara (who also serves as executive producer) gives a stunning performance, disappearing into the role of Griselda so completely as to totally make us forget about her best- known role as the sweet, hilarious Gloria from Modern Family. After seeing her pull out all the stops here, hopefully more dramatic roles are in store for her. Vergara’s Griselda is fierce and utterly driven to not let anyone stop her, no matter the oppositions and betrayals she encounters. Underestimated because of her gender and her sex-appeal, she outplays the other male cartel leaders with her smarts and ruthlessness to build a Miami cocaine empire. Along the way we watch her determination hardening to viciousness, her wariness descending into coke- and- crack fueled paranoia that sees her turn on her most loyal supporters. Her empire building threatens or destroys everyone she ever loved or sought to protect: her henchman turned husband Dario, her adored sons, and the members of her Marielitos army that protect her. The series casts a glamorous, golden anti-hero glow around Griselda and her people that is reminiscent of “The Godfather” films, which is fitting since Griselda and Dario seemed themselves to be fans of the OG’s. At one point they are seen watching an iconic scene from the first movie (“Don’t ask me about my business”) and they even named their son Michael Corleone. Griselda revels in her title of “La Madrina,” “The Godmother,” to the point where several people close to her tell her she is risking everything by letting it going to her head. Like “The Godfather” movies, the series has a luxuriant, highly stylized look: lavish parties on yachts and in mansions, eye-popping period costumes including sexy, shiny shoulder-padded dresses and brightly colored leisure suits, and loving close-ups of gleaming muscle cars and Cadillacs. Boosted by the gorgeous, grainy cinematography by Armando Salas, and an evocative 70’s and 80’s soundtrack, the series portrays Griselda’s world as exciting and beautifully dangerous, as addictive as the coke she sells.
Besides Vergara’s star turn, there are excellent performances by Alberto Guerra as Dario, Christian Tappan as Arturo, her faithful, good-natured accountant, Martin Rodriguez as the seductive dealer Rivi, and Camilo Jimenez Varon as scary smuggler Raffa. Juliana Aiden Martinez is excellent as June Hawkins, another determined immigrant woman who is underestimated by the male cops she works with and who spends years working to bring Griselda to justice. Her character serves as a counterpoint to Griselda: while Griselda justifies her blood-soaked actions by saying everything she does is for her sons, June in her quiet way makes career sacrifices to actually benefit her own son. The scene where she delivers the devastating news about the fates of Griselda’s sons while she is soon to be released from prison showcases the profound differences between the two women and the acting chops of both actors. Viewers may not be disappointed by Griselda’s eventual fate, but they may very well be saddened that this propulsive, highly watchable series is over.
