Movie Review For “Girl In Progress”

I loved Girl In Progress! It’s a heartwarming coming of age story starring Eva Mendes as a single parent and Cierra Ramirez as her teenage daughter. Eva Mendes plays a carefree mom who may just have a daughter that is more responsible than she is. She had her daughter when she was a teenager and seems to have never quite finished growing up. Girl In Progress tells the tale of a young girl, determined to grow up and struggling to find her place in the world.

I don’t want to give too much of the movie away if you haven’t seen it but Ansiedad, the role of the daughter, gets this idea that she needs to grow up and go through the stages of becoming a woman in a very systematic fashion. She lays out careful plans that include losing her virginity and dumping her best friend. What happens along the way is that she discovers it isn’t all it’s presented to be. She realizes that she still needs her mother in ways that her mother may or may not be ready for. What follows is a touching journey toward each other that requires sacrifice and a shifting of priorities.

Though Eva Mendes is the more famous actress, Cierra Ramirez steals the spotlight as a sharp, witty girl, who is determined to be different from her mother. She is so sure of herself whilst traveling through the teenage angst of discovering oneself. The juxtaposition won’t be lost on audiences. She is brilliant in her role and her performance transitions seamlessly through teenage dramas and real-life issues.

Girl In Progress is a must-see for ages 13 and above. Teenagers will relate to it and adults will be reminded of those trying teen years. The movie is rated PG-13 and is in theaters, now. Check out the trailer below.