“Gringa,” directed by Marny Eng and E.J. Foerster, starts with a shaky foundation due to its cynical and unnecessary early development. The film follows Marge (Jess Gabor), a bullied teenager with low self-esteem and a desire to reconnect with her estranged father Jackson (Steve Zahn), now a surfing beach bum in Mexico. Marge’s mother is against the reunion due to Jackson’s past alcoholism and abandonment. After Marge’s mother dies in a car accident, she heads to Mexico to find her father. The narrative lacks genuine grieving, quickly moving into Marge’s easy bond with her father and her personal growth in soccer and relationships. Despite the naturalistic chemistry between Gabor and Zahn, the film’s weak script fails to fully develop characters or create authentic struggles, resulting in an unsatisfying story. Visit afdah movies for more!