‘Sweet Girl’ Review: Jason Momoa's revenge drama lacks emotional connection

Sweet Girl
Sweet Girl Cast: Jason Momoa, Isabela Merced
Sweet Girl Director: Brian Andrew Mendoza
Streaming Platform: Netflix
Sweet Girl Stars: 2.5/5

Universal healthcare is already a hot topic, but it takes centre stage in Jason Momoa's latest film, Sweet Girl, as the vengeance thriller finds its heroes fighting large pharmaceutical corporations and the healthcare system while attempting to protect a loved one. It's also worth noting how the picture arrives at a particularly delicate time in the midst of the pandemic’s and as a result, healthcare systems all around the world are being put to the ultimate test.

However, in Momoa's film, the lines regarding how large drug corporations are the bad guys are drawn early on. Following every revenge drama formula, the film sees its protagonist pursuing those who have wronged him, in this case, those who have prevented Ray Cooper's (Jason Momoa) wife Amanda (Adria Arjona) from obtaining cancer treatment that could have saved her life.The film begins with a flashback of Ray running from the cops, followed by a flashback a few years later in which we learn why. We came to know about his family, which includes his ill wife Amanda and his daughter Rachel (Isabela Merced).

Ray (Momoa) and Rachel (Merced) discover optimism as the family discovers that a cheap generic version of Amanda's expensive drugs may be made accessible to her.

Ray (Momoa) and Rachel (Merced) discover optimism as the family discovers that a cheap generic version of Amanda's expensive drugs may be made accessible to her.

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Their joy is short-lived, however, as the chance is snatched from them after the 'big evil people' at BioPrime Healthcare thwart their efforts to deliver inexpensive medication. Ray's first choice to revenge his wife's death once she dies away is Simon Keeley (Justin Bartha), the CEO of the pharmaceutical firm. As a result, what follows is Ray going on a violent spree of hunting down everyone whom he deems responsible for his wife's death.

We witness Momoa attempting to hide from everyone at the hospital when Ray's wife dies, only to locate an empty area where he can finally let go and break down later in the film. He ultimately does, and we see him in that emotional weakness, which is an aspect of his character that needs to be highlighted more in the film. What we get instead is his furious version, in which we see him yelling at the camera and throw more punches than dialogues.

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Momoa, on the other hand, makes the most of what he has and, thanks to his deft action talents, keeps the narrative moving forward.
One of the film's major problems is that it keeps things simple in terms of directing, which means it can't hide its screenplay issues. Everything hinges on the performers when the storyline sets the bar so low. While Momoa does an excellent job in the action scenes, it isn't enough to keep us captivated throughout the film.

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The father-daughter moments between Momoa and Merced are more effective, but some are ill-timed and so fail to elicit a strong emotional bond. A twist at the conclusion tries to break the film's evident predictability, but it isn't skillfully adapted enough to blow your mind.

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It's sad that the movie manages to channel all of its energy into violence and turn it into a means to an end. Despite the antiquated idea, it will appeal to those who enjoy revenge films that take a similar formula.

Apart from Momoa, Isabela Merced, who appeared in Netflix's Instant Family, makes an impact. She holds her own in scenes where you'd expect Momoa to take the lead, such as the one where the two engage in a boxing match. Perhaps a bit more character development for Merced would have given this film the boost it needed. Their father-daughter relationship is a highlight of the film, and it saves it several times.

Sweet Girl appears to be a missed opportunity to be a picture that might have portrayed Game Of Thrones in a new way, with more emotional baggage to punch than corrupt businesspeople and assassins, with Momoa and Merced at its centre. In terms of Merced, it demonstrates that the 20-year-old actress has a much more to give, and her potential is not overlooked in this film.