Teenager Marge (Jess Gabor) makes the decision to run away to Mexico to find her estranged father, Jackson (Steve Zahn)–the man that left her when she was just two years old. Once she finds him, she realizes that he’s a drunk without a way, and the father that she hoped for needs some work. In addition to Jackson being a work in progress, Marge quickly finds herself being called Gringa, as she struggles to fit in. With a new home, a new father, and a new life, Marge has a lot on her plate–but she’s prepared to fight for what she believes in.
I believe that Gringa is a bit fractured in its narrative timeline, often jumping to places that don’t make sense. In the grand scheme of the film, these moments make sense, and they have a place in the film for sure, but the timing is off–and that creates a series of challenges throughout the film for viewers. We jump from moments of great sadness to ones of euphoria in a matter of seconds. While this certainly can be the case in real life, this decision never allows Gringa to develop a tone that really resonates with viewers. I found myself wanting to empathize with the characters on screen, and I wanted to feel what they were feeling, but by the time I was given a chance to be wrapped up in their struggle and/or successes, the tone shifted. Again, I don’t believe that anything made its way into the film that doesn’t deserve to be there, but a little more organization could have gone a long way.
While there are portions of the film that feel out of place, what Writer Patrick Hasburgh and Directors Marny Eng and E.J. Foerster create is incredibly fun. It’s not just fun in the sense that it is vibrant, shows multiple instances of soccer games, etc.–but also the fact that Gringa is able to remind viewers of all of the good things that exist in the world. There are a series of harrowing moments, ones in which viewers see the worst possible things imaginable, but, as a whole, Gringa does a wonderful job of remaining lighthearted throughout a majority of the story.
The production design is incredibly impressive. Set primarily in a small town in Mexico, Gringa relies heavily on authenticity, on creating something that reflects Mexico, and I believe that this team creates something authentic. I’m far from an expert on Mexican culture, and I honestly still couldn’t tell you whether or not the things depicted on screen are accurate or not. The reality, however, is that, based on what the world sees in popular culture, what they experience when they travel to Mexico, Gringa appears to be an accurate representation of the real thing. There was never a moment when I questioned the validity of the places that Marge traveled throughout the course of the film, and that allows viewers to become absorbed by the film and feel like they are truly watching something honest and real.
Judy Greer (Mini Marge) and Zahn work to juxtapose one another, bookending the film and Marge’s journey and approaching parenthood in two completely different ways. Oftentimes viewers will see parents in films approach parenting differently from one another, with one ultimately being the good guy and the other the bad guy–but Gringa doesn’t paint them in these lights. They are presented as equals rather than competitors–and that works in more than one way. Pointing fingers throughout the course of a film can be divisive, challenging for viewers–but the metaphor extends itself far beyond parenting. The world can understand through this approach that two people can have differing opinions and they both be correct, both hold merit. Gringa, like I said, is a fun film–but it serves a grand purpose as well.
Gringa is ultimately a feel-good story that showcases the importance of motherhood and fatherhood, communication, and collaboration. The film teaches important lessons, and it does a wonderful job of showcasing them in a way that is subtle but effective. The film appropriately brings this story to life, and it effectively engulfs viewers in a wonderful story of love, passion, and family.
Directed by Marny Eng & E.J. Foerster.
Written by Patrick Hasburgh.
Starring Jess Gabor, Steve Zahn, Roselyn Sanchez, Jorge A. Jimenez, Valentina Buzzurro, Judy Greer, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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