The Girl 2012

     Ashley is single mother and she loses custody of her young son while struggling to make ends meet in Texas.  She is a 20-something mother and she is still reeling from her son's placement into Social Services custody.   She finally takes control of her own fate after meeting a desperate Mexican girl who lost her mother during a border crossing.  Ashley was sneaking Mexicans over the border into the US.  This is the first time she has attempted to make money in this dangerous way.  A surprise visit from her truck-driver father presents the idea of an opportunity to make some quick cash as a coyote.  

     She has recently lost her job at a big box store in Austin and she has an edge because she speaks Spanish.  In reality, Ashley doesn’t know what she is doing!!  She believes the Mexicans can wade across the river because it is at a low level.  When she returns to get them, she finds out that is not the case!!  Determined not to get involved, Ashley tries in vain to keep her distance from the girl.  Eventually she finds her conscience stirred by the innocent child's plight and abandoning her isn’t an option.  Over the next few days, Ashley joins the frightened child in attempting to locate her missing mother.

     I knew right away Ashley was taking a BIG chance smuggling people across the border.  Ever professionals have encountered problems doing this illegal activity.  I wanted to yell that she should not get involved and that I knew it would not end well.  Ashley yelled at her father when she found out he was smuggling Mexicans into the US in his semi-trailer.  He said it was no big deal and he wanted the extra money!!  Ashley should have stopped herself from this action when she saw sniffer dogs are used to find people hidden in vehicles!!!  3 1/2* (I liked this movie) 

95 min, Crime directed and written by David Riker with Abbie Cornish, Geoffrey Rivas, Austin West, Annalee Jefferies, Will Patton Giovanna Zacarias, Luci Christian, Harold Torres, Javier Zaragoza, Abel Lopez Marroquin, Angles Cruz, Maritza Santiago Hernandez.

Note:  Imdb 6.2 out of 10 with 1225 reviews, Rotten Tomatoes 53% with 19 critics 45% with 363 audience scores, Amazon 4.4* out of 5* with 67 ratings, The Austin Chronicle 2 1/2* out of 5*, indiewire.com B- Rodrigo Perez.

Special Note:  There is another movie from 2012 with the same title about the working relationship of Alfred Hitchcock and Tippi Hedren.  Also, the 1998 film Laciudad told the story of four Hispanic immigrants living in New York City and it has many of the same themes.