‘Griselda’ proves drug dealing isn’t a man’s world
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Netflix is no stranger to killer crime shows with “Money Heist” and “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.” From the producers of the platform’s crime series “Narcos,” “Griselda” proves to be another successful stab at the genre. Even a month after it debuted, the show has continued to appear on the streaming service’s top 10 list.
“Griselda” is a semi-factual recount of the real-life Griselda Blanco – an infamous Colombian drug lord who played a key role in establishing the drug trade between Medellín, Colombia and Miami, Florida in the early ‘80s. Despite its rushed pacing, “Griselda” is nothing short of beautifully acted, violent and nostalgically captivating.
The series’ first scene begins with a wounded Griselda Blanco (Sofía Vergara) living in Medellín during the late ‘70s. Griselda pleads for aid from Carmen, her friend living in Miami, saying she needs to escape after a disturbing incident with her abusive husband, Alberto Bravo (Alberto Ammann). Carmen reluctantly agrees to provide Griselda and her children shelter and, by the following day, they were in Miami.
Although Carmen forbids Griselda from participating in any drug-related activity, Griselda completely disregards Carmen’s authority and immediately begins setting up her drug empire, starting with finding a distributor to sell one kilogram of cocaine she smuggled.
Despite “Griselda” showing her ruthlessness and brutality, viewers can’t help but root for her as she defies the odds of being lied to, sexually discriminated against and taken advantage of. Her competitors’ efforts of attempting to take her business away were ultimately in vain as Griselda managed to reach the top of her empire in a bloody battle lasting years.
However, anyone who knows about Griselda’s life or has seen a Netflix crime series knew this story wasn’t going to have a happy ending. As Griselda reached the culmination of her career, her greed for power controlled her life, leading to her arrest in 1985.
FBI agent June Hawkins (Juliana Aidén Martinez) is a dramatic foil to Griselda. While Griselda endured many defeats, June was simultaneously going through a similar experience and misogyny. When attempting to take Griselda down, male officers working with June dismissed her theory that a woman could be leading Miami’s most powerful drug trade.
June’s development mirrors Griselda’s. While the agent is continuously doubted, she ends up capturing one of the biggest names in Miami’s drug trade, establishing herself as Griselda’s toughest enemy. The end of the “Griselda” tale ended up being a woman vs. woman showdown, the perfect way to end the show’s excellent parallelism between the two characters.
The show makes viewers root for both female characters, hoping they both reach their goals despite already knowing who would emerge victorious. From torching a buckload of cash in front of a backyard full of gangsters to bossing around clueless FBI agents, “Griselda” has a revolutionary way of saying women rule the world.
“Griselda” depicts a compelling juxtaposition between the sexual discrimination of the 80s and Griselda’s brutality. In one scene, two of Griselda’s employees opened fire while sitting at a red light in an attempt to dispose of a witness. Griselda herself additionally kills the witnesses’ child and manages to get away with the crime for years after it took place.
The show also highlights the tragic events where Griselda was sexually discriminated against while, on the contrary, showcases how she was able to flourish and get away with almost anything as no one believed a woman could commit such crimes.
Vergara leads the show as the gritty and merciless drug queenpin. Pivoting away from her typical comedy roles, most notably as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett from “Modern Family,” Vergara proves she can be taken more seriously. Vegara’s supporting cast also did a fantastic job enriching the titular character’s development throughout the series’ six episodes.
While “Griselda” shines in the acting, the show tends to fall flat with its pacing. Before the audience is able to process and understand what traumatic event just took place, the show quickly moves on to the next beat. The issue is especially noticeable when Grisleda finally reaches the top of the Miami drug scene. While in real life she was dominant for years, the next episode begins with the start of her demise.
I would’ve liked to see at least one episode dedicated to the three years where Griselda was reaping the benefits of her efforts and how she ran her empire. Then, I would’ve felt fully satisfied with Griselda reaching her goals.
Despite this pacing setback, “Griselda” proved to be another successful Netflix crime flick as the show quickly became a popular favorite with critics and audiences. “Griselda” gives a shocking look into the drug dealer’s journey while showcasing the brilliance of her rise to power and dominating personality. “Griselda” is already one of the top shows of 2024, raising the bar for the rest of the year.
Pablo Escobar, arguably the world’s most notorious drug lord, once said, “The only man I was ever afraid of was Griselda Blanco,” and Netflix surely did deliver Griselda’s brutal yet engrossing rise to fame.
