Girl in Progress

Synopsis

Girl in Progress is a 2012 dramedy film starring Eva Mendes that follows the story of a single mother, Grace, and her daughter, Ansiedad. Grace is preoccupied with her own love life and work, leaving Ansiedad to navigate the challenges of adolescence on her own. Feeling neglected, Ansiedad turns to coming-of-age tropes from literature to try and speed up the process, leading to a journey of self-discovery and growth for both mother and daughter. As Ansiedad tries to establish her own identity, Grace grapples with her own past mistakes and the importance of being present for her daughter. The film explores themes of mother-daughter relationships, growing up, and the need for communication and empathy in families.

Cast

• 

  Eva Mendes

  Grace

• 

  Cierra Ramirez

  Ansiedad

• 

  Matthew Modine

  Dr. Harford

• 

  Landon Liboiron

  Trevor

• 

  Patricia Arquette

  Ms. Armstrong

• 

  Raini Rodriguez

  Tavita

Reviews

Girl in Progress received mixed reviews from critics. Some praised Eva Mendes' performance as Grace, with The New York Times calling her 'compelling' in the role. However, other critics found the plot to be predictable and the pacing uneven. Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a score of 33%, with the consensus stating that 'despite a solid performance from Eva Mendes, Girl in Progress fails to bring anything new to the coming-of-age genre'. IMDb rated the film 5.6/10, with some users applauding the emotional depth of the mother-daughter relationship, while others found the storyline cliché. Metacritic rated the film 45/100, indicating 'mixed or average reviews'. Overall, Girl in Progress is a heartfelt exploration of family dynamics and personal growth, but falls short of delivering a truly memorable cinematic experience.