Sweet Girl

Jason Momoa stars as Ray Cooper, a Pittsburgh steelworker whose wife dies from an aggressive cancer after a promising experimental drug called Balmoral is abruptly pulled from the market. Directed by Brian Andrew Mendoza in his feature debut, Sweet Girl follows Ray and his teenage daughter Rachel (Isabela Merced) as they investigate the pharmaceutical company BioPrime, suspecting that corporate greed rather than safety concerns led to the drug's withdrawal. The film, produced under Momoa and Mendoza's Pride of Gypsies banner, also features Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as executive Amo Santos and Amy Brenneman as journalist Diana Morgan.

Shot in Pittsburgh during the COVID-19 pandemic, the movie aims to ground its thriller elements in a working-class setting. Momoa, who also produced, sought to expand beyond blockbuster roles, while Merced underwent physical training for her action sequences. The score comes from Academy Award-winning composer Steven Price, known for Gravity.[edit]

Ray Cooper lives a quiet life in Pittsburgh with his wife Amanda and teenage daughter Rachel. When Amanda is diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, the family pins their hopes on an experimental drug called Balmoral. But the manufacturer, BioPrime, suddenly halts the drug's distribution, and Amanda dies soon after. Ray's grief turns to anger when he learns that BioPrime had a more profitable alternative in development and deliberately suppressed Balmoral to maximize returns.

Driven by a need for justice, Ray begins tracking those responsible. He confronts Amo Santos, a slick BioPrime executive, but the encounter turns violent. With Rachel reluctantly joining him, the pair uncovers a web of corruption involving falsified clinical trials, regulatory bribery, and even murder. FBI agents Sarah Meeker and John Rothman begin pursuing Ray as his vigilante actions escalate. Along the way, journalist Diana Morgan provides crucial information, while corporate insider Simon Keeley offers a glimpse into the company's inner workings.

The investigation takes Ray and Rachel from Pittsburgh's industrial outskirts to corporate offices and underground meetings. Rachel serves as her father's moral compass, pulling him back from the brink of outright vengeance. Their bond is tested as Ray's obsession threatens to consume them both. The film's action sequences include brutal hand-to-hand fights and chase scenes, punctuating the investigative narrative. As they close in on the truth, the conspiracy's full scale becomes clear, setting the stage for a final confrontation with Santos.[edit]