Gringa

Steve Zahn is perfectly cast in his role as hapless expatriated misfit looking for nothing in particular in all the right places. Gringa is rich with dark comedic gems and boasts a stellar ensemble performance led by Mr. Zahn and the wonderfully talented somewhat newcomer Jess Gabor (of Shameless fame) who by the way epitomizes that of an angsty teenager looking for her way in the world. I have to say I found myself thoroughly enjoying this film...From the well rounded performances, to the soundtrack, I even found myself wanderlusting for much of the movie and its beautifully shot locale. If you are the type to enjoy a movie with substance and great writing then there's plenty for you to see here. All around Gringa was a real kick in the pants!

IN A NUTSHELL: 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.

The film was directed by Marny Eng and E. J. Foerster. The story was written by Patrick Hasburgh. The movie has already been nominated for multiple awards at various film festivals and won!

When I was a teenager, I was an exchange student in Mexico. Yep, I was a gringa, so this movie definitely spoke to me. Mexico has a beautiful culture with warm people. Mexico will always have a special place in my heart.

THINGS I LIKED: The young starlet is played by Jess Gabor. I didn't remember ever seeing her in anything before, although she's been in Shameless (2011), Her Story (2018), and Confessional (2019). She did a great job.

I always get a kick out of the ever-endearing Steve Zahn. He's such a delight to watch in everything he does.

The film also stars Judy Greer, Jorge A. Jimenez, Nico Bracewell, and Roselyn Sanchez.

The film blends a lot of drama with humor.

If you enjoy Mexican football, you'll get a kick out of this flick. If you enjoy father/daughter movies, you'll enjoy it even more.

There are a lot of entertaining conversations and noteworthy lines.

I love that both the father and daughter experience coming-of-age insights.

The lovely musical score gets you in the mood to feel the Mexican spirit.

You're going to want to eat some good Mexican food after watching this. 😊 I love the quinceanera tradition in Mexico. It's kind of a coming-out party to celebrate a girl's young womanhood. The part where the mother washes the girl's feet is especially touching.

There is some action, romance, comedy, humor, and a lot of heart.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: There are a lot of cliches that make the plot extremely predictable.

It's weird to me that someone can live in a foreign country for so many years and still not learn the language. That's always seemed disrespectful to me.

TIPS FOR PARENTS: Lots of profanity, including F-bombs, although a Catholic priest tries to help a man overcome his potty mouth.

Lots of talk about sex and loss of virginity.

An unmarried woman sleeps with a lot of men and talks to her daughter about it.

We see a car crash and a funeral.

Spanish is spoken with subtitles.

A man drinks a lot of alcohol and gets drunk all of the time.

A teenage girl binge eats and throws up.

Underage girls drink alcohol.

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The danger of Illegal crossing at the USA/Mexico border is represented.

The good- The cast is great. First rate acting. Not a terrible story plot. A well filmed first rate quality made movie. Good scenery. Personally, I did not care for the music but can't say it was terrible. The bad- not that realistic. I wish Mexico (and the U. S.) and people were this nice and friendly. I'm afraid the world is a much more dangerous and harsh place. If you live in some imaginary fantasy world all this could be possible. But it doesn't drag the movie down too bad. After all, that's why people go to movies- to imagine a world the way they wish it was and not see the world as it is. Anyway- a decent happy fantasy movie. The great cast carries the poor writing.

Your daughters will love you for sharing your time with them. Steve Zahn steals this movie in this beautiful and touching coming of age story featuring a breakout role for newcomer, Jess Gabor. This is a coming of age story of a teenager in search of her lost Dad. She finds him lost in life as well on a beach in Mexico. For parents and children alike, don't forget the kleenex because your eyes will be tearing as they form a new relationship between themselves. Movies like Gringa are few and far between these days. With beautiful performances by Zahn and Gabor, you will find yourself captivated by the stunning cinema photography of the Mexican shoreline. Don't forget the popcorn because Gringa is pure entertainment.

Greetings again from the darkness. When a 16 year old girl has self-esteem issues, it can be painful to watch. As adults, we know it's likely to get better, although it's also possible things get worse before they improve. And 'things getting worse' is exactly what happens to Marge in this film co-directed by Marny Eng (long time stunt performer and coordinator) and EJ Foerster, and written by Patrick Hasburgh (writer and creator of TV series "Hardcastle and McCormick" and "21 Jump Street").

Marge (Jess Gabor, "Shameless") and her mother (Judy Greer) are both having a hard time. Mom is a California realtor who seems to go through men faster than she sells houses, and Jess is a self-described "fat and slow" bench-warmer on her soccer team, while also battling bulimia and her unpopularity with classmates. It's at about this time when the "getting worse" part happens for Marge, and soon she's crossing the border in search of her dad, who left home when she was two years old.

Jackson (Steve Zahn) is a former soccer star-turned alcoholic-surfer, and is no more prepared to be a father now than when Marge was born. It's an awkward reunion since neither father nor daughter know the other, but they agree to spend a month getting familiar. It's fun to watch these two bring out the best in each other. Dad promises to stop drinking and treat his girlfriend (Roselyn Sanchez, "Without a Trace") better, and Marge cleans up her diet and magically improves her soccer skills while subbing for the local team her dad is coaching.

Mr. Zahn has been a familiar face and dependable performer since the early 1990's, and was recently seen in season one of "The White Lotus." In this role, he gets to flash some of his trademark goofiness, while also showing some depth as a man-child trying to get his act together. Zahn's connection with Ms. Gabor is what makes the film click. While not familiar with her previous work, I was impressed with Gabor's range her and realistic portrayal of a teenager in pain - slumped shoulders and plate of tacos, etc. Ms. Greer has a limited role here, and supporting work comes from Jorge A Jimenez, Valentina Buzzurro, and Nico Bracewell. It's not really a comedy, although there are some slightly comical moments, and the first two acts are well done, though the poor sound mix and muddled final act don't end things on a high note. It may seem formulaic at times, but noticing new talent is always a welcome development.

In theaters and VOD beginning April 21, 2023.