Gringa, 2023.
Directed by Marny Eng and E.J. Foerster.
Starring Steve Zahn, Judy Greer, Jess Gabor, Roselyn Sánchez, Valentina Buzzurro, Emma Ramos, Nico Bracewell, Tomas Ruiz, Peter Theis, and Jorge A. Jimenez.
SYNOPSIS:
A troubled teenage girl runs away to Mexico to find the father she has never known. Together they learn that a family can be put back together, even if all they have are the missing pieces.
There is an early development in directors Marny Eng’s and E.J. Foerster’s Gringa (from a weak script by Patrick Hasburgh) that is cynical, unnecessary, and hangs uncomfortable vibes over the actual story and central character dynamics. Marge (Jess Gabor) is the target of much high school bullying, has fairly low self-esteem (consistently attacking her body image under the impression that she is fat), and doesn’t appear to be a gifted athlete such as her estranged father Jackson (Steve Zahn) who was once a professional soccer player (more on him later).
Marge’s mom (also named Marge and briefly played by Judy Greer) is apparently a realtor, although mother and daughter are squatters. It doesn’t make much sense, and I’m also not in too much of a rush to break it down further because, quite frankly, the filmmakers don’t care. They do poorly in every conceivable area of establishing characters and setting. The gist is that after one year of professional success and when she was two years old, Marge’s father became an alcoholic, caused a car accident, and eventually abandoned his family, running off to Mexico. However, young Marge wants to reconnect and get to know her father, which her mother is staunchly against for understandable reasons.
Gringa is incredibly quick in killing off adult Marge conveniently with a car accident but is even faster throwing the character under the proverbial bus, as part of young Marge’s grieving process involves running off to Mexico and tracking down her father, who is now a surfing beach bum, and still drinking, but embracing of being reacquainted with his daughter. It’s not long before the two start bonding and assisting each other through their troubles, but it comes so easy and relatively drama free (at least until the overwritten third act filled with nonsense from questionable perspectives) that while watching the film, there is a morbid thought that maybe viewers should be glad the mom died.
Young Marge’s life also starts thriving in other areas, becoming a better soccer player and joining the team her father coaches while also earning affection from a local boy. Essentially, there is no grieving in this story, which feels that a gigantic miscalculation considering the bulk of the narrative, is brought on by tragedy. Then there are moments in the final stretch that feel regressive in its depiction of Mexico, also centered on awkward troubles, such as being a white woman undocumented civilian trying to get back into America.
As a sports film, Gringa doesn’t fare much better, as Marge’s growth as a player also doesn’t come with much struggle. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with taking a lighthearted approach, and the performances from Jess Gabor and Steve Zahn contain naturalistic chemistry, but the plot itself rarely rings true. Steve Zahn is charming as a bearded hobo making the most of his second chance at being a father. Jess Gabor also comes across as an impressive upcoming talent to watch, so it’s a shame that the script fails to give her a fully formed, complex character. They deserve a stronger script capable of truly humanizing their strengths and flaws. Gringa kicks off on a sour note and never recovers.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
